Bam Adebayo Is Sick of the Critique From the Haters

Bam Adebayo might be one of the more underrated stars in the NBA over the last few years. Yes, he has made three All-Star games, but his impact on the Heat’s winning is underappreciated. 

Part of the reason Bam’s contributions are widely going unnoticed is that his game is far from sexy. He’s an elite defender, a skill that is always underappreciated. He also isn’t a flashy offensive player. He’s a great screen setter, a decent shooter, a great passer, and a solid paint presence. 

This season, however, Bam has seen a noticeable decline on the offensive end. He is averaging a career-low FG%, and his lowest scoring and assist numbers since the COVID-shortened season.

Bam recently responded to the critics who have been pointing out his worsening offense. 

“I don’t care about what anybody says about me offensively. They’re going to move the goalposts for me every night. If I don’t shoot enough, I’m not being aggressive. Shoot too much, it’s the wrong shot diet. So my teammates, my coaching staff, they know what I’m capable of. Obviously, every shot that I take, I work on all the time. And Spo knows that; Spo sees it. So it’s not a shocker that I shoot certain shots. ... People are looking at my shot chart, saying I’m shooting too many threes. But you play the right way, and you’re open; he wants you to shoot the ball. So I have enough confidence in myself to shoot that [shot].”

It sounds like Bam isn’t too worried about his shooting slump. Stars like Bam have been through tons of ups and downs, and as long as there isn’t a physical injury causing the issue, he’ll likely return to form soon.