Impressive performance on a consistent basis has earned Miami Heat’s bigman Bam Adebayo a spot in this year NBA All Star conversations.
He is one of only two players in the NBA who are averaging more than 15 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 1 steal: The other is Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee Bucks and the reigning MVP.
Adebayo, whose real name is Edrice Femi “Bam” Adebayo is of Yoruba decent and was given the nickname “Bam Bam” by his mother.
The 22-year-old American professional basketball player played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before he was taken 14th overall in the 2017 NBA draft by the Miami Heat.
“Adebayo is not just doing those impact things that can’t be easily-documented statistically, but the stats are starting to become dramatically impressive on a game-by-game basis,” an NBA analyst Duncan Smith wrote.
He is also being mentioned in conversations for both Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Improved Player award.
Adebayo is fourth in real plus-minus (RPM) among all Eastern Conference centers at +2.45 and fourth in that same group in player impact plus-minus (PIPM) as well. The Miami Heat are 5.1 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the floor than off it.
He’s playing 34.1 minutes per game in his first full season as starter after usurping the starting spot Hassan Whiteside a year ago and making him expendable. He’s shooting 57.3 percent from the floor and 68.9 percent from the free throw line.
Thus far he has posted career-highs in most major categories, averaging 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
