Miami Heat: Bam Adebayo’s rookie season leaves a tremendous upside

Bam Adebayo’s rookie season with the Miami Heat is finally behind him.

After the Miami Heat’s first-round Game 5 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, one thing is certain.

Bam Adebayo is no longer a rookie.

For all the season’s commotion around where Hassan Whiteside will land and whether Dwyane Wade will return, Adebayo has been continuing his development in Miami’s youth movement.

Production has been modest for the 20-year-old. In the 2017 star-studded rookie class, Adebayo’s role as a second unit center is easily swallowed up. His 6-foot-10 frame is undersized, compared to the Great Wall of Whiteside, and Adebayo’s undeveloped 3-point shot gave Kelly Olynyk preference in certain situations.

But for his rookie short comings, Adebayo’s athleticism and general intuition carried him through the season.

When Adebayo entered the game in Miami’s first regular season contest of the 2017-18 season, one thing was apparent: he suffered from the nerves of a rookie.

His first shot attempt, a layup, was swatted by fellow rookie, Jonathan Isaac.

Receiving a slick feed from Josh Richardson, Adebayo’s attempted catch was a botched conversion. He was late shuffling to the hoop and fumbled the ball with seemingly the sweatiest hands in the arena.

Adebayo wouldn’t see action again until the Heat’s fourth game (and third home contest) against the San Antonio Spurs. In that game however, the rookie nerves seemed soothed and Adebayo played to his namesake.

The next, more promising realization about his game was that his tenacity and explosive lower limbs, grant him the ability of short term flight.

Rebounding from his unsuccessful first shot, Adebayo made good the next dish from Richardson. He cruised past an onlooking LaMarcus Aldridge and established his worth as a first year. All ten of Adebayo’s first made field goals were signed by him punching the ball through the rim. He confounded defenders with his willingness to leap after putback jams and ability to soar off of two feet.

After establishing his hops, Adebayo also spent the season instilling confidence in his inclusion in the rotation. Demonstrating his defensive reflexes, Adebayo flaunted mastery of squaring up against all manner of defenders. Steph Curry and Joel Embiid alike were victim to Adebayo’s stretchy brand of defense.

Now, with his first playoff appearance in the rearview, what’s next for Adebayo?

As Whiteside’s future inches closer to an exit from South Beach, it stands that Adebayo could transition into Miami’s starting center.

Offensively, Miami’s hodgepodge approach to scoring could benefit from Adebayo increasing his range. Like Udonis Haslem before him, expanding his shot selection to the mid-range, especially along the baseline, could bail Miami out from failed drives.

Defensively, Adebayo’s trajectory is set. He can usher Miami deeper into an era of position-less basketball, with his ability to cover traditional centers and guards.

Lucky for Miami, Adebayo is committed to the long term.

"“I love this city,” Adebayo said. “I could be any place and it’s cold right now. But I’m thankful to be here. Pat [Riley] saw something in me in my pre-draft workout. I’m glad he did and I’m glad he drafted me.”"

Next: Miami Heat Roundtable: And so, the offseason officially begins

Bolstered by an elite training staff and hopefully another year of Wade mentorship, Adebayo can make even greater strides in his sophomore campaign.