By now, everyone should know how the Miami Heat feel about player availability.
That filters down from their team president (remember Pat Riley's Jimmy Butler mess) to their coach to their captain.
So it wasn't a surprise that Bam Adebayo set an example by being present at Heat practice on Sunday, after flying overnight from Phoenix following his girlfriend A'ja Wilson's latest WNBA championship for the Las Vegas Aces.
A'ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo celebrate her #WNBAFinals MVP pic.twitter.com/vCelzKPmte
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) October 11, 2025
After Heat practice, Adebayo addressed the media, and spoke of Wilson's accomplishment: “That’s the thing about shared success. You’re blessed to see somebody have that much success, somebody who they compare to Bill Russell and you talk about how much greatness that they have."
Bam Adebayo on seeing A’ja Wilson win the WNBA Championship
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) October 11, 2025
“That’s the thing about shared success. You’re blessed to see somebody have that much success, somebody who they compare to Bill Russell and you talk about how much greatness that they have”
(Via @MiamiHEAT) pic.twitter.com/4oPSYYb08b
Adebayo is making the trip to Orlando and Atlanta as the Heat play their next two preseason games, though it's not clear how much he will play. He started the Heat's first preseason contests.
On Twitter on Saturday, there were a few jokes about Adebayo not being the best player in his relationship. But it doesn't seem he minds that talk. Recently, Dwyane Wade relayed what Adebayo told him about their achievements.
Dwyane Wade on what Bam Adebayo told him about A’ja Wilson:
— Heat Diehards (@HeatDiehards) September 26, 2025
“I was with Bam at the Olympics, and we were watching our women’s team play. We started talking about A’ja as a hooper and future plans. Bam cracks me up — he was like, ‘Man, my little award case….I ain’t got a chance.… pic.twitter.com/wyiHOPKpOa
"Man, my little award case," Adebayo told Wade. "I ain't got a chance. She so cold. Her awards is just like a high school award. You know like one of them top division schools that wins everything.”
Wilson has now won four WNBA regular season MVPs and two WNBA Finals MVPs.
Adebayo has two gold medals and, with Erik Spoelstra elevated to US national team coach, a solid chance to win a third.
If he wants more success, he needs to show up every day for his squad, as Wilson did for the Aces, and as Adebayo showed Saturday for the Heat.
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