Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo To Start In NBA All-Star Game Sunday

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo is set to follow in Dwyane Wade's footsteps this weekend in Indianapolis.

According to reports, Adebayo confirmed he is expected to start in Sunday's NBA All-Star game. He replaces Philadelphia 76ers injured center Joel Embiid.

It marks the first time the Heat have a starter since Dwyane Wade in 2016.

Adebayo, who will play in his third All-Star game Sunday, is averaging 18.4 points and 11.4 rebounds the last seven games. The increase in production has helped the Heat offset the injuries while also keeping them in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

They are the No. 7 seed but only three games behind the fourth-place New York Knicks.

“You always want to go into the All-Star break on a good note,” Adebayo said. “To get two signature wins like that, it shows that if we believe we can do it, we can get stuff done. Even if we don’t have a lot of guys.”

Adebayo is the Heat's lone representative in the game. Jimmy Butler was bypassed and Tyler Herro was ineligible because he did not meet the games played requirement. Rookie Jaime Jaquez is set to compete in the dunk contest tonight after participating in the Rising Stars challenge Friday.

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Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat, a Fan Nation channel for Sports Illustrated. He has covered the NBA since 2010.

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