Bam Adebayo facts for kids
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Adebayo with the Miami Heat in 2020
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| No. 13 – Miami Heat | |||||||||||||||||
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| Center / power forward | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 18, 1997 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 255 lb (116 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 | |||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Edrice Femi "Bam" Adebayo (pronounced AH-də-BY-oh), born on July 18, 1997, is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the Heat, he played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. The Heat picked him 14th overall in the 2017 NBA draft.
Bam is a three-time NBA All-Star and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team five times. He helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. He also won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2020 and 2024. On March 10, 2026, Adebayo scored an amazing 83 points against the Washington Wizards. This is the second-highest score ever in a single NBA game, right after Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
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. He flipped over a coffee table, just like the character Bamm-Bamm Rubble from The Flintstones. When he was seven, Bam moved with his mother to North Carolina. He later learned more about his Nigerian background and has since embraced his heritage.
High School Basketball Star
Bam Adebayo attended Northside High School in Pinetown, North Carolina. As a junior, he averaged an incredible 32.2 points and 21 rebounds per game. He was a top player in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit. Later, he transferred to High Point Christian Academy in High Point, North Carolina.
In his senior year, Adebayo averaged 18.9 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. He led his team to the state championship game. In 2016, he was named North Carolina Mr. Basketball. He also played in the prestigious 2016 McDonald's All-American Game. Experts rated Adebayo as a five-star recruit and one of the best high school players in 2016.
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bam Adebayo PF |
Pinetown, NC | High Point Christian Academy (NC) | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 260 lb (120 kg) | Nov 17, 2015 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 96 |
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| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 7 247Sports: 12 ESPN: 5 | ||||||
Sources: |
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College Career at Kentucky
On November 17, 2015, Adebayo committed to play for the University of Kentucky. He joined other talented freshmen like Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox.
During the 2016–17 season, Adebayo helped Kentucky win the SEC Championship. He grabbed nine rebounds in the final game against Arkansas. In the NCAA Tournament, he continued to impress with strong rebounding performances. Kentucky reached the Elite Eight before losing a close game to North Carolina.
After a successful freshman year, Adebayo decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft. 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 Strong in the NBA (2017–2019)
The Miami Heat selected Bam Adebayo with the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft on June 22, 2017. He quickly signed his rookie contract and joined the team for the Summer League. In his first season, Adebayo played in 69 games, averaging 6.9 points and 5.5 rebounds.
In his second season, he played all 82 games. He showed his growing skills with a career-high 21 rebounds in one game. He also scored 22 points and 10 rebounds in a win against the Phoenix Suns. Adebayo averaged 8.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game that season.
Becoming an All-Star and Reaching the Finals (2019–2020)
The 2019–20 season was a breakout year for Bam Adebayo. He became a full-time starter and took on more responsibility. He recorded his first career triple-double with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. He achieved another triple-double just a few days later.
His excellent play earned him his first NBA All-Star Game selection. He also won the NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge competition. Adebayo finished the season averaging 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
In the NBA Playoffs, Bam was key in leading the Heat to the 2020 NBA Finals. He scored a playoff career-high 32 points in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics. Although the Heat lost in the Finals, Adebayo was recognized for his defense. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
Continued Success and More Finals Appearances (2020–2023)
In November 2020, Adebayo signed a big five-year contract extension with the Heat. On January 23, 2021, he scored a career-high 41 points. He also recorded another triple-double, making history with teammate Jimmy Butler for both getting triple-doubles in the same game more than once. He earned his second consecutive All-Defensive Second Team honor.
Adebayo helped the Heat secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference in the 2021–22 season. They reached the Conference Finals again, facing the Boston Celtics. He had a strong performance with 31 points and 10 rebounds in Game 3. He was named to the All-Defensive Second Team for the third time.
In the 2022–23 season, Adebayo was named to his second NBA All-Star Game. He tied his season high with 38 points twice. In the playoffs, he recorded his first career playoff triple-double. He helped the Heat reach the 2023 NBA Finals, where they played against the Denver Nuggets. Adebayo led the Heat in scoring and rebounding during the Finals.
All-Defensive First Team and Record-Breaking Performance (2023–2026)
On November 6, 2023, Adebayo achieved a triple-double with 22 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Los Angeles Lakers. He was named the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week in January 2024. In February 2024, he was selected for his third All-Star Game. On March 17, he hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer against the Detroit Pistons.
At the end of the 2023–24 season, Adebayo was named to his first All-Defensive First Team. This showed he was one of the best defenders in the league. In the 2024 playoffs, he tied LeBron James for the most playoff double-doubles in Heat history.
On July 6, 2024, Adebayo signed a new three-year contract extension with the Heat. He continued to break records in the 2024–25 season. On March 3, 2025, he recorded his 222nd career double-double. This surpassed Rony Seikaly for the most double-doubles in Heat franchise history.
A Historic 83-Point Game
The 2025–26 season brought an incredible moment for Bam Adebayo. On March 10, 2026, he scored an astonishing 83 points in a game against the Washington Wizards. He made 20 shots from the field, 7 three-pointers, and 36 free throws.
This amazing performance broke several Heat franchise records. He set new records for points in a quarter (31), in a half (41), and in a single game (83). He also broke the league record for free throws made and attempted in a game. His 83 points are the second-most ever scored in an NBA game, only behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game.
National Team Career
Bam Adebayo has proudly represented the United States national team. He was part of the U.S. Olympic team that won gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Miami | 69 | 19 | 19.8 | .512 | .000 | .721 | 5.5 | 1.5 | .5 | .6 | 6.9 |
| 2018–19 | Miami | 82* | 28 | 23.3 | .576 | .200 | .735 | 7.3 | 2.2 | .9 | .8 | 8.9 |
| 2019–20 | Miami | 72 | 72 | 33.6 | .557 | .143 | .691 | 10.2 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 15.9 |
| 2020–21 | Miami | 64 | 64 | 33.5 | .570 | .250 | .799 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 18.7 |
| 2021–22 | Miami | 56 | 56 | 32.6 | .557 | .000 | .753 | 10.1 | 3.4 | 1.4 | .8 | 19.1 |
| 2022–23 | Miami | 75 | 75 | 34.6 | .540 | .083 | .806 | 9.2 | 3.2 | 1.2 | .8 | 20.4 |
| 2023–24 | Miami | 71 | 71 | 34.0 | .521 | .357 | .755 | 10.4 | 3.9 | 1.1 | .9 | 19.3 |
| 2024–25 | Miami | 78 | 78 | 34.3 | .485 | .357 | .765 | 9.6 | 4.3 | 1.3 | .7 | 18.1 |
| Career | 567 | 463 | 30.6 | .537 | .314 | .756 | 8.9 | 3.6 | 1.1 | .9 | 15.7 | |
| All-Star | 3 | 1 | 17.3 | .778 | 1.000 | — | 1.3 | 1.3 | .0 | .0 | 5.0 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Miami | 5 | 0 | 15.4 | .467 | .000 | .214 | 4.0 | .0 | .0 | .4 | 3.4 |
| 2020 | Miami | 19 | 19 | 36.2 | .564 | .000 | .783 | 10.3 | 4.4 | 1.0 | .8 | 17.8 |
| 2021 | Miami | 4 | 4 | 34.0 | .456 | — | .769 | 9.3 | 4.3 | 1.3 | .5 | 15.5 |
| 2022 | Miami | 18 | 18 | 34.1 | .594 | .000 | .763 | 8.0 | 2.7 | 1.0 | .7 | 14.8 |
| 2023 | Miami | 23 | 23 | 36.9 | .481 | .000 | .821 | 9.9 | 3.7 | .9 | .7 | 17.9 |
| 2024 | Miami | 5 | 5 | 38.4 | .495 | .200 | .714 | 9.4 | 3.8 | .4 | .0 | 22.6 |
| 2025 | Miami | 4 | 4 | 38.3 | .438 | .333 | .636 | 11.0 | 4.3 | 1.0 | .3 | 17.5 |
| Career | 78 | 73 | 34.7 | .517 | .243 | .757 | 9.2 | 3.5 | .9 | .6 | 16.4 | |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Kentucky | 38 | 38 | 30.1 | .599 | — | .653 | 8.0 | .8 | .7 | 1.5 | 13.0 |
See also
In Spanish: Bam Adebayo para niños
