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Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo has committed to play for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics this Summer, per a report from ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo has committed to join the 12-man Team USA roster for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, his agent Alex Saratsis tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2021
Adebayo joins Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant as the latest high-end talent to commit to the United States for the rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games.
The two-time NBA All-Star was among the initial 42 finalists announced for USA Basketball’s 12-man roster in February. And there are now only five spots to fill before they make the trip to Tokyo next month.
Although Bam has never formally represented the national team, the 23-year-old big man participated in the 2019 FIBA World Cup training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Here's 55 seconds of Bam Adebayo not missing at Team USA 1-on-1's. pic.twitter.com/pTn21Y2Jsk
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) August 6, 2019
Adebayo stuffed the stat sheet for the Heat this season, averaging 18.7 points, 9.0 boards, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks while getting to the free-throw line 5.5 times per game.
The versatile two-way contributor was one of the primary reasons Miami made a surprise run to the Finals a year ago. And elite switchability at his size gives head coach Gregg Popovich a leg up on the competition.
Team USA will begin training camp in Las Vegas on July 6 before heading to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics. The group stages will run from July 25 to August 1, followed by the knockout rounds from August 3 to August 7.
The United States Men’s National Basketball Team has gone a perfect 24-0 and won three consecutive gold medals at the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.