Here’s Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem discussing the role star center Bam Adebayo plays in the team’s offense, via the Miami Herald:
The Miami Heat doesn’t evaluate center Bam Adebayo based on shot attempts and points. Teammates and coaches appreciate Adebayo for everything else he provides on the court.
So when the outside conversation regarding Adebayo’s offensive aggression finds its way into the locker room, those within the organization disregard it.
“I don’t pay attention. They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” Heat veteran and team captain Udonis Haslem said to the Miami Herald ahead of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night. “95 percent of people don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to being aggressive. He can’t just go out there, put his head down and go forward. He’s got to get other guys involved. Bam’s heart is in the right place. He’s trying to do the right things.”
In Friday’s Game 6 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, Adebayo finished with just six points on six shots and committed four turnovers. That’s not the type of production many have come to expect from a player on a max contract like Adebayo.
But it was Adebayo’s rebounding, screening, dribble handoffs and rolls to the basket to keep the Heat’s offense flowing that teammates and coaches noticed more than his points and shot attempts.
