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Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo: `Ya'll Starting to See Me Really Hoop'

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo is arguably playing the best basketball of his young career

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra posed an interesting question recently. 

After Monday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets, he asked which year has center Bam Adebayo improved the most? 

Was it from Year No. 2 to No. 3 when he became an All-Star? 

Or was it from last season to this season? 

"You'd have a tough time answering that," Spoelstra said. "He continues to exponentially improve every single season. As good as he was last year as an All-Star, he's improved 10 (times) on top of that. You're looking at a superstar now." 

Adebayo is averaging 20.7 points, nine rebounds and 5.4 assists this season. In Saturday's loss to the Nets, he finished with a career-high 41 points. Adebayo has shown improvement in all areas, including scoring, defense and facilitating. What has been most impressive about his play of late is it's occurred while the Heat have been without several players because of COVID-19, including Jimmy Butler. 

Adebayo's reason for the improved play is simple. 

"In the summer, I bust my ass," Adebayo said. "That's the bottom line. I'm one of those guys I don't want to take days off because I think somebody is working harder than me. Every day of the summer, I just always want to get better and always build up my game. Coach wants me to be aggressive. Being aggressive, I've been hitting my [midrange shots], I've been hitting my floaters, getting people involved. It's all just coming together now. Y'all starting to see me really hoop."

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