Bam Adebayo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bam Adebayo

Adebayo with the Miami Heat in 2020
No. 13 – Miami Heat
Center
Personal information
Born	(1997-07-18) July 18, 1997 (age 27) Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
High school	Northside (Pinetown, North Carolina) High Point Christian Academy (High Point, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (2016–2017)
NBA Draft	2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall
Selected by the Miami Heat
Pro career	2017–present
League	NBA
Career history
2017–present	Miami Heat
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA All-Star (2020, 2023, 2024) NBA All-Defensive First Team (2024) 4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2020–2023) Second-team All-SEC (2017) SEC All-Freshman team (2017) McDonald's All-American (2016) North Carolina Mr. Basketball (2016)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2020 Tokyo Team Gold 2024 Paris Team

Edrice Femi "Bam" Adebayo (born July 18, 1997) is a talented American professional basketball player. He plays as a center for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. The Miami Heat picked him as the 14th player in the 2017 NBA draft.

Bam Adebayo is a three-time NBA All-Star and has been honored five times for his strong defense on the NBA All-Defensive Team. He helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in both 2020 and 2023. He also won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2020 and 2024.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Bam Adebayo was born on July 18, 1997, in Newark, New Jersey. His mother gave him the nickname "Bam Bam" when he was just one year old. This happened because he flipped over a coffee table, just like the strong character Bamm-Bamm Rubble from the TV show The Flintstones. When he was seven, Bam moved with his mother to North Carolina.

Bam attended Northside High School in Pinetown, North Carolina. In his junior year, he was amazing, averaging 32.2 points and 21 rebounds per game! He also played for an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team called Team Loaded North Carolina. Later, he moved to High Point Christian Academy for his senior year. There, he continued to play great, averaging 18.9 points and 13.0 rebounds per game. He helped his team reach the state championship game. In 2016, Bam was named North Carolina Mr. Basketball. He also played in the famous 2016 McDonald's All-American Game, which features the best high school players in the country.

Bam Adebayo was considered one of the top high school basketball players in the 2016 class. Many experts rated him as a five-star recruit. On November 17, 2015, he decided to play college basketball for the University of Kentucky.

College Career at Kentucky

Bam Adebayo played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2016–2017. He quickly became a key player for the team.

He helped Kentucky win the SEC Championship in March 2017. In the NCAA Tournament, also known as March Madness, Bam showed off his skills. He grabbed 18 rebounds in a win against Northern Kentucky and 12 rebounds in a "Sweet Sixteen" victory over UCLA. Kentucky made it all the way to the "Elite Eight" before losing a close game to North Carolina.

After his successful freshman year, Bam decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft. In his 38 games for Kentucky, he averaged 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He was also named to the Second-team All-SEC and the SEC All-Freshman team.

Professional Career with the Miami Heat

Starting Out (2017–2019)

On June 22, 2017, the Miami Heat chose Bam Adebayo as the 14th pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He signed his first contract with the Heat on July 1. In his first season, he played in 69 games, averaging 6.9 points and 5.5 rebounds.

In his second season (2018–19), Bam played in all 82 games for the Heat. He improved his game, averaging 8.9 points and 7.3 rebounds. On November 25, 2018, he had a career-high 21 rebounds in a game against the Toronto Raptors.

Becoming a Star (2019–2022)

The 2019–20 season was a big one for Bam. He became a full-time starter for the Heat and took on more responsibility. On December 10, 2019, he achieved his first "triple-double" (scoring at least 10 in points, rebounds, and assists) with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Atlanta Hawks. He had another triple-double just four days later!

His great play earned him his first selection to the NBA All-Star Game in January 2020. He also won the NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge competition. Bam finished the season averaging 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.

In the 2020 NBA Playoffs, Bam helped lead the Heat to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. He had an amazing game against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, scoring 32 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Although the Heat lost in the Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers, Bam was recognized for his improvements. He finished second in voting for the Most Improved Player Award and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

On November 28, 2020, Bam signed a long-term contract extension with the Heat. In the 2020–21 season, he continued to shine, averaging 18.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and a career-high 5.4 assists. He was again named to the All-Defensive Second Team.

In the 2021–22 season, Bam helped the Heat earn the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They made it back to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they faced the Boston Celtics again. Bam had a strong performance in Game 3, scoring 31 points. Even though the Heat lost in Game 7, Bam was named to the All-Defensive Second Team for the third year in a row.

Reaching the Finals Again (2022–2023)

The 2022–23 season saw Bam Adebayo continue to improve his scoring. On November 25, 2022, he scored a season-high 38 points against the Washington Wizards. In February 2023, he was named to his second NBA All-Star Game.

In the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Bam recorded his first career playoff triple-double in a big win against the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. He helped the Heat make another surprising run to the NBA Finals. In Game 1 of the Finals against the Denver Nuggets, Bam had 26 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. The Heat tied the series 1-1, but eventually lost in five games. Bam led the Heat in scoring and rebounding during the Finals, showing his importance to the team.

First All-Defensive First Team (2023–2024)

On November 6, 2023, Bam Adebayo achieved another triple-double with 22 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a close win over the Los Angeles Lakers. In February 2024, he was selected for his third All-Star Game.

At the end of the 2023–24 season, Bam was named to his first All-Defensive First Team. This means he was recognized as one of the very best defensive players in the entire NBA! In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Heat faced the Boston Celtics again. Bam had strong performances, including 25 points and 17 rebounds in Game 4. Although the Heat lost the series, Bam averaged a playoff career-high 22.6 points per game. On July 6, 2024, Bam signed another contract extension with the Heat, showing he will be a key player for them for years to come.

National Team Career

Bam Adebayo has also played for the U.S. national basketball team. He was part of the 2020 Olympic team that won a gold medal in Tokyo. He was also chosen to play for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where they again won the gold medal.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Images for kids

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  Adebayo playing for Kentucky in 2016

See also

In Spanish: Bam Adebayo para niños

• List of NBA career field goal percentage leaders