Inside The Heat

Team USA Experience Giving Bam Adebayo Opportunity To Bond With LeBron James

Shandel Richardson

Sep 30, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) handles the ball against Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (13) during the first quarter in game one of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) handles the ball against Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (13) during the first quarter in game one of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
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The Miami Heat had so much trust in center Bam Adebayo they chose him as the replacement for longtime captain Udonis Haslem at the start of last season.

Even though he has a new leadership role, Adebayo is still willing to accept advice when needed. He's using the opportunity with Team USA this summer to learn from one of the best players in NBA history. Adebayo has worked out the past few days with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

James, who played for the Heat from 2010-14, never had the chance to play with Adebayo in Miami. By the time Adebayo was drafted in 2017, James was already back playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The two made up for lost time this week in Las Vegas before heading to Paris to compete in the Olympics. This Adebayo's second time representing the country while James is participating for the third and final time.

The idea is for Adebayo to learn much as possible from James these next few weeks. James praised Adebayo by referring to him as "Big Bam Bigalow" on an Instagram post. The reference was to the 1990s pro wrestler Bam Bam Bigelow.

Adebayo should soak up much as possible from his time alongside James. Adebayo is set to enter an adjustment year this season because he could potentially switch positions. The Heat drafted 7-foot center Kel-el Ware to put the move in motion.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Inside The Heat. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson

SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here