MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo remembers what people thought of him nine years ago, when the Miami Heat drafted the then-teenager out of Kentucky after his only college season.
“I was a guy who was drafted to play defense and everyone thought I was just a high ball threat,” Adebayo said.
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He has evolved since then.
On Sunday night, Adebayo joined Dwyane Wade as the only players in Heat history to score more than 10,000 points. Adebayo was 23 points shy of the milestone on the night; he scored 24 points to help the Miami Heat beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons 121-110.
Adebayo — the Heat’s captain, a title the Miami Heat take very seriously — is on track to average at least 18 points per game for the sixth straight season. He hit four 3-pointers on Sunday night, taking his total to 94 on the season to match his total over the past two seasons.
“It shows the improvement in my game,” Adebayo said. “Obviously, this organization believes in me. I’ve been here so long that I can get 10K with the same team. Obviously, to go down in history behind a guy like Wade, it’s a great accomplishment.”
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He’s still a long way from catching up with Wade, who scored 21,556 points for the Heat. But Adebayo has another goal.
Adebayo ranks second in Heat rebounding, behind only Udonis Haslem, the captain he replaced. He has a chance to catch Haslem at the end of the season — he needs 207 rebounds in Miami’s final 17 games — and says that’s the only record he’s really after.
There is no doubt that he remains the backbone of Miami’s defense. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra often touts him as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but his scoring can’t be ignored.
“He didn’t necessarily come in as a scorer,” Spoelstra said. “He works hard and is willing to do it. His scoring is very important for this special team.”
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