Bam Adebayo reacts to Heat’s first-round pick of Kel’el Ware, discusses Team USA and Olympics

Miami Heat All-Star center Bam Adebayo is a fan of the team’s first-round pick.

With the Heat using the 15th overall pick to select Indiana center Kel’el Ware in the first round of this year’s NBA Draft on Wednesday, Adebayo smiled when asked about the addition.

“I feel like he’s coming into a situation where he has an opportunity to, obviously, grow because of our standard and how we’re structured,” Adebayo said Thursday afternoon during a media session at Kaseya Center with a few South Florida reporters. “So I have no doubt that the kid is going to get better here. He’s going into a situation where we want him to be special. You see his athletic ability, and we want him to take advantage of that.”

What’s the Heat’s vision for first-round pick Kel’el Ware? ‘Kel’el is a three-and-D center’

More importantly, Ware adds size to the Heat’s roster. At 7 feet and 230 pounds with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Ware immediately becomes the tallest player on a Heat roster that didn’t include a 7-footer last season.

“Obviously, from the help standpoint, it’s always good to have a 7-footer next to you,” Adebayo said.

In recent seasons, the Heat paired Adebayo with smaller power forwards such as 6-5 Caleb Martin, 6-5 P.J. Tucker and 6-6 Jae Crowder. But this offseason while serving as an NBA analyst on ESPN, Heat icon and Adebayo’s close friend Udonis Haslem made it known that he believes the team needs to add a bigger center to the roster to allow the 6-9 Adebayo to move to power forward.

Ware appears to fill that need as a 7-footer with length who shot better than 40 percent on threes as a sophomore at Indiana last season while also showing impressive touch around the basket. That offensive skill set paired with Ware’s shot-blocking ability makes him an intriguing candidate to play alongside Adebayo in the Heat’s frontcourt to anchor bigger lineups.

“I just laugh at it because it’s like when I think about UD, I always think like you had [Shaquille O’Neal] next to you,” Adebayo said Thursday when asked about Haslem’s comments. “So, obviously, UD is always going to have my back. He’s always going to have the best interest for me and this organization.”

As for Ware, he’s looking forward to working alongside Adebayo and the Heat’s other leaders.

“Man, he’s a phenomenal player,” Ware said of Adebayo after being drafted by the Heat on Wednesday. “Just being beside him, not even just him. Being beside Jimmy [Butler], being beside Tyler [Herro], just learning from those guys and seeing what they’ve been through in their years of playing in the NBA. That will take my game up even faster.”

Here’s some of what else Adebayo had to say Thursday at Kaseya Center:

▪ Adebayo was made available to reporters Thursday to discuss his second appearance in the Olympics this summer, as he will soon join Team USA in Las Vegas for the July 6 start of training camp ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

But with a league source confirming Wednesday that there have been discussions between the Heat and Adebayo regarding a three-year maximum contract extension worth $166 million, he was not allowed to discuss his expected extension on Thursday. While the extension has not been finalized yet, the new deal would begin in the 2026-27 season and run through the 2028-29 season when he will be 31 years old.

“Being here seven years going on eight has just been nothing but love,” Adebayo said Thursday when asked about his Heat journey. “Obviously, not only from the fans, but from the organization as a whole. They took a chance on a kid who people didn’t think was that good. To turn around and see where I am now kind of puts it in perspective for me, the organization and a lot of people who doubted us.”

Adebayo has only played for the Heat since being drafted by Miami with the 14th overall pick in 2017.

▪ Adebayo won’t be the only Heat representative on Team USA for the Paris Olympics this summer. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will serve as an assistant coach for the national team under Team USA head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors.

“Having my coach there to be a part of this is special,” Adebayo said. “I feel like Spo, if we do win, I feel like he should get his own special banner just because it’s his first one. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for him to be a coach that has won a gold medal.”

▪ With training camp opening in Las Vegas on July 6, Team USA begins its five-game exhibition schedule on July 10 against Canada in Las Vegas. Team USA begins the Olympics in France on July 28 against the Serbian national team.

Along with Adebayo, Team USA’s 12-man roster for the Paris Olympics will include LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Tyrese Haliburton.

“I think we have the potential to be one of the best teams that’s been in the Olympics on the side of the USA squad,” Adebayo said. “… For us, it’s keeping the main thing the main thing and that’s winning the gold medal.”

Adebayo, who turns 27 on July 18, joins Dwyane Wade as the only two players to compete in multiple Olympics while under contract with the Heat and is looking to become the first player to win multiple gold medals while with the Heat. He’s already one of just five players to win a gold medal while with the Heat after coming away from the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021 with gold, joining James (2012 Olympics), Wade (2008 Olympics), Alonzo Mourning (2000 Olympics) and Tim Hardaway (2000 Olympics).