The NBA season is fully underway, but Netflix is offering fans an amazing opportunity to reflect on an incredible summer of basketball as their new show, Court of Gold, is finally out. The six-episode series offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the top contenders at this past year’s 2024 Paris Olympics, including Team USA, who won the gold medal.
Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo was a focal point of that team, as he played some big minutes off the bench behind Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis (and sometimes behind Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid). Adebayo played a crucial role, and Team USA knew how valuable he would be going into the tournament.
In fact, NBA Hall-of-Famer Grant Hill, who is the managing director of Team USA basketball, described Adebayo perfectly in the Netflix documentary.
Grant Hill called Bam Adebayo 'one of the most underrated' players in basketball in Court of Gold on Netflix
“He’s a superstar,” Hill said of Adebayo. “He’s an All-Star in this NBA. He won a gold medal in ‘21. But he’s kind of a blue-collar, lunch-pail guy in terms of his mentality… He can guard anyone on earth. Literally, he can guard anybody. And, oh, by the way, he goes out, and he gets you 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds a game. Maybe one of the most underrated players in the game of basketball.”
Adebayo played in all six Olympic games, averaging 16.0 minutes per contest. He put up 6.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
Team USA head coach also had some high praise for Adebayo, noting that he was a leader for the team in the locker room, always providing them with a positive presence.
“Bam is one of the most impressive human beings I’ve ever been around,” said Kerr. “He’s got just a great belief in what he’s doing. But submits to the team. To the group. And that’s powerful. It’s a powerful force. Every meeting, when he walks into the room, he slaps five with every single guy. Never fails. Every day is a good day for Bam.”
Even Heat legend Dwyane Wade, Adebayo’s former teammate, chimed in.
“Bam, as an NBA player, is versatile,” Wade said. “When you look at an Olympic team, you try to put an Olympic team together, you want guys that can play multiple roles. You got to find these guys that do not need the ball to be successful. Can still make an impact on the game. And Bam is one of those guys.”
Adebayo isn’t having the best season of his career this year, especially from an offensive standpoint, but this is a great reminder of who he is at his core—one of the most versatile two-way players in basketball.
And hearing Hill speak so highly of him should make Heat fans feel spectacular about having him as their franchise centerpiece of the future.
Watch Court of Gold on Netflix.