LAS VEGAS — Half a world away, even before the Olympic gold medal was draped about his neck Saturday at the Tokyo Games, Bam Adebayo recognized everything going forward would be different.
No, not necessarily because of his championship moment alongside Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum, but because while in Japan the Miami Heat overhauled their roster.
“I feel like we’re going to be a veteran squad,” Adebayo said courtside at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, gold medal seemingly now permanent neckwear. “You got a lot vets out there, so it’s going to be fun and exciting.”
Among those added while Adebayo had his focus on the Olympic medal rounds were rugged veteran forwards P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris.
“Definitely defense,” Adebayo said of what the duo brings. “Both of them have won, so leadership and then shooting, spacing for us, and also mobile bigs.”
There also was the high-end addition of veteran point guard Kyle Lowry.
“We’re going to give each other extreme confidence,” he said of the expected symbiosis with Lowry, “and then we’ll go from there.”
The Heat also agreed to a four-year, $184 million extension with Jimmy Butler in the hours after Adebayo secured gold. But Adebayo said the Heat contract that was particularly meaningful to him was the five-year, $90 million deal secured by guard Duncan Robinson.
“I’m glad they took care of Duncan,” Adebayo said with a laugh. “Jimmy got all that money already. I’m glad they took care of my man, Duncan.”
Adebayo headed to Olympic camp and then the Games with a vow of dedicating the moment those impacted by the Surfside condominium collapse, including first responders. Adebayo visited that site days before departing for Olympic training.
“It’s bigger than me,” he said. “At the end of the day, it was bigger than me. All those people, for 10 minutes of the gold medal ceremony, got a little bit of joy. Even though that pain doesn’t go away, but they got a little bit of joy for their day.”
Adebayo took a seat on the Heat bench during Sunday’s summer-league opener shortly after landing back from the Games.
“It’s definitely a whirlwind, definitely glad to be home at NBA Summer League, and I get to see my momma,” he said. “And that’s the most fun I’ve had, in bringing her the gold.”
And, so, finally, an exhale.
“The pressure of it? You’re playing for a country not just a city, so it was bigger than us,” he said. “And to bring this home, there is nothing other than gold for the USA.”
Heat assistant coach Malik Allen, who is guiding the Heat summer roster, said it was meaningful having Adebayo and Robinson show up in Las Vegas to support the potential next generation of Heat players.
“That’s the great thing, I think, about our guys, is they’re willing to spend the time with those guys and talk to those guys and just articulate the game to them on the sidelines,” Allen said. “You don’t get that in a lot of places. This is great. It’s great leadership on their part. It’s great fellowship on their part because that’s just what we’re about.
“Those guys want to be here for them. They want to be here for us and the organization. It’s not just for show. It’s what they do. It’s been like this every summer league. So we’re very fortunate to have that as part of our culture.”
