Inside The Heat

Team USA vs. Serbia: Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Shines, Praised By LeBron James

Anthony Pasciolla

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; USA forward Bam Adebayo (13) dunks on Canada in the first quarter of the USA Basketball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; USA forward Bam Adebayo (13) dunks on Canada in the first quarter of the USA Basketball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

It's easy to see why 'Captain Bamerica' is the nickname gifted to Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo.

Adebayo shined in Team USA's Wednesday morning exhibition against three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia. He finished the day with 17 points, eight rebounds, and three assists on 6 of 9 shooting. Perhaps the most impressive feat of his outing is knocking down 60 percent of three-pointers on five attempts. This level of three-point shooting should excite Heat fans for what's to come next season. He's not the lone Heat player pushing to improve his shot from the arc, as rising star Jaime Jaquez Jr. is looking to up his game.

Los Angeles Lakers star and teammate LeBron James had jokes for Adebayo following the game. He described the Heat center as 'the new splash brother', in reference to Golden State Warriors guard tandem Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

"Splash brother, the new splash brother!" James exclaimed. "Bam, Bam, splash!"

Not only did Adebayo shine on the offensive end, but he and Anthony Davis shut down Serbia's attack. Meanwhile, Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid is finding himself a victim of heavy criticism on social media. Fans believe his style of play is not made for the international stage, but instead, the frontcourt load should fall on Adebayo and Davis.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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Anthony Pasciolla
ANTHONY PASCIOLLA

Anthony Pasciolla is a sports journalist who began covering the NBA in June 2023. A Philadelphia native, Anthony has experience covering the Philadelphia 76ers as a credentialed reporter. He has written for Miami Heat, Back In The Day Hoops, Kansas State Wildcats, and Illinois Fighting Illini on Sports Illustrated. His work also includes 76ers coverage for The Sporting News and previous stories for Athlon Sports and BasketballNews. When he’s not covering the NBA, you can find him spending time with friends and family or diving into the world of fantasy football. Follow him on X @AnthonyPasci or reach him via email at ampasciolla@gmail.com