No. 1 Option Or Not, Bam Adebayo Just Wants To Help Produce Wins For Miami Heat

Shandel Richardson | Aug 29, 2024

Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States centre Bam Adebayo (13) celebrates after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

There have been talks about the Miami Heat becoming Bam Adebayo's team this season.

They say it's time to make Adebayo the No. 1 option. In reality, the only No. 1 he cares about is seed.

As in first-place in the Eastern Conference standings at the end of the season. He just wants wins.

"Listen, the biggest thing to me is winning," Adebayo told Miami Heat On SI. "If [coach Erik Spoelstra] tells me, `Look, you've got to be the No. 1 option.' I'll put my hat on and be the No. 1 option. I feel like being a No. 1 option doesn't mean getting up the most shots. You've had guys like Lou Will [Lou Williams] who is the sixth man who probably had more shot attempts."

Adebayo is coming off averaging 19.3 points, 10. rebounds and 3.9 assists last season in what was perhaps the finest of his seven-year career. After winning a second gold medal this summer in Paris, the only thing on his mind now is getting the Heat back to the NBA Finals.

He came up short in both appearances (2020, 2023), so scoring is the least of his worries.

"For me the No. 1 option just means I've got to make sure everybody is in their right spots, right time, checking foul counts," Adebayo said. "Just being aware of everything and not just worried about scoring."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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