Nigerian-American basketball player Bam Adebayo is teaching gifted teenagers about the high standards maintained by the NBA’s Miami Heat at the Basketball Without Borders camp in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The power forward/center, whose father’s side of the family is from Nigeria, is instructing 40 boys and 40 girls from high schools around Africa who are among the best basketball players in the world in skills and strategies as well as life lessons.
Adebayo responded in one word, “standard,” when asked in an interview with ESPN what distinguishes Miami culture and whether campers at BWB may learn any of its tenets. ‘Standard’ is a suitable response to both of your inquiries.
“We uphold the standard set by the Miami Heat. We anticipate being held to that standard for accountability. That entails having the ability to lift the trophy at the end of the season and winning games.
It’s the same thing coming here; it’s just the norm. We (Adebayo’s BWB Africa Games team). We’re going to put our hearts out and give it our all on the court because we want to win every game.
This season, Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors), Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic), and Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers) are the other three active NBA players coaching at BWB Africa. Also appearing is Tacko Fall, who most recently shone for the Milwaukee Bucks at the NBA Summer League.
On the weekend, Adebayo also autographed shirts for fans at the NBA Africa Store in Johannesburg. He was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support he received from basketball enthusiasts who waited in line for two hours just to see their idol.
Adebayo responded, “I did, but I didn’t. I didn’t know before that I was that adored in Africa. It’s just that I want to say how much I value it. I value the love and encouragement I receive from everyone who follows me. Realizing I have thus many supporters gives me a thrill.
After losing in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023 while playing for the Heat, Adebayo will be looking to make them proud by winning the league’s top prize.
“I believe that the reason we fell short was because we suffered [among the most] injuries in the 2022–23 season. I feel like exhaustion had a toll [after] all those ups and downs during the season,” he remarked of the 4-1 defeat to the Nuggets.
Adebayo’s experience with his African identity has been unpredictable. He claimed in an interview with Andscape that his now-deceased father’s absence from his life had first made him hesitant to acknowledge his ancestry.
Age and maturity gave Adebayo a new perspective as he started to appreciate his Nigerian ancestry, but COVID-19 prevented him from traveling to BWB Africa as previously scheduled.
Adebayo said: “I would say that I’ve brought an extra layer of comfort to my life knowing that I got the opportunity to be around all of the top basketball players [in Africa] now that I’ve been able to travel to Africa and give back through basketball.
For me, it was really about supporting these South African children. The best thing for me is getting to help these kids and connecting with them through their background, tribe, or whatever it may be.
NBA coaches Darvin Ham (Lakers), Mike Brown (Sacramento Kings), JB Bickerstaff (Cleveland Cavaliers), Dwane Casey (recently with Detroit Pistons), and assistant coach Dave Joerger (most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers) will all be in attendance at the event in Johannesburg.