4 NBA players ready to step into superstar roles

3. Bam Adebayo

Like LaMelo Ball, Bam Adebayo had an injury pause his hot start. However, the Miami Heat center is the epitome of picking up where he left off.  

Over the course of seven seasons, Adebayo has seen his on-court output increase with each year that passed. He is not new to being on the radar either. Particularly on the defensive end where he was able to attract teams’ wandering eyes with his ability to lock up players at all five positions. 

Whether it was the viral video stopping Steph Curry or the wrist-bending Jayson Tatum block to defeat the Boston Celtics, Adebayo has proven to be a force. Yet, the Tyler Herro snarl seemed to overshadow him to the masses. And all the Heat center did was continue to come back better. 

Two NBA Finals runs, two all-star selections, one Olympic gold medal, and four NBA All-Defensive Second Team appearances and the league still did not give him the push. However, the praise continues to come from the peers who suit up against him.

The only thing missing was the full confidence in his offense to steer him toward the next level. That is what he has shown this season, as he has matched his impressive 21.8 points and 4.0 assists per game from the 2023 NBA Finals. But with a more efficient 50 percent from the field and, more importantly, an aggressive offensive mind state to match his defense. Now it is time for the full accolades.