Bam Adebayo won't stay on Udonis Haslem's good side for long

No wonder former Miami Heat captain Udonis Haslem was urging Kel'el Ware to rebound more early in the season.

Anything to slow the pace of his mentee.

It has not appeared to work, however, even though Ware, like Bam Adebayo, ranks in the top 10 in the NBA in total rebounds. Even with Ware's intrusion, Adebayo has 523 in 53 games this season, his 9.9 average slightly better than last season (9.6) or his career mark (8.9).

The Heat have 21 games left, so if Adebayo plays all of them -- for a total of 74 -- then his current pace will get him 208 more rebounds. That would give him 5,755 in his career for the Miami Heat, his only team of his nine-year career.

And that... would put him 36 rebounds behind Haslem's all-time Heat record.

So Adebayo needs to pick up the pace just a bit.... or wait until next season.

"It ain’t been the same since I left." 😂

Udonis Haslem & Bam Adebayo break down their former pregame ritual and how it all began!

Catch Bam and the Heat hosting the Rockets today at 3:30pm/et on Prime. pic.twitter.com/H2LZuL8iiO
— NBA (@NBA) February 28, 2026

Haslem likely wouldn't mind the latter, even though he still lives in South Florida and works for the Heat. And even though he and Adebayo still talk frequently, their relationship extending way beyond their work together on the court. Haslem has been a confidant for Adebayo about the captainship, and also about how to handle Erik Spoelstra's coaching style.

Now Adebayo is trying to pass that on to Ware.

"Many-a-days UD has talked me off the ledge"

Had to follow up w/ Bam after his postgame comments about Ware listening to him & "ignoring" Spo. He says that's how it is sometimes

But he takes pride in that role as mentor, because of how he leaned on UD during his early years pic.twitter.com/AawAsh6joj
— Kacy Hintz (@KacyHintz) March 2, 2026

The rebounding record is a particularly touchy subject.

The reality is, Adebayo hasn't really been known as an elite rebounder, while that was Haslem's primary calling card, even though Adebayo certainly can rebound and Haslem certainly can defend (just ask Dirk Nowitzki from the 2006 NBA Finals).

And Adebayo is going to get the work done in half the time, mostly because Haslem didn't get many minutes in his last few seasons, following a foot injury he returned from too soon during the 2011 postseason.

Now Haslem is with another Adebayo mentor, Dwyane Wade, on the Amazon Prime NBA set, and they've had some fun with Haslem's claims t Heat history.

Bam, D Wade and Udonis Haslem talking about breaking each others franchise records 💀

Bam: it’s bout time we got the old heads outta here the further my career goes along

Wade: Bam, we on live TV now

Bam: Some records, I might not catch, but a lot of them, 40, imma catch you… pic.twitter.com/4U1LoezGvf
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) February 28, 2026

Adebayo appeared on video with the two Heat legends after Saturday's win against the Rockets.

Adebayo "Some records, I might not catch, but a lot of them, (Haslem), imma catch you."

Haslem: "You have that same energy when Kel’el bout to break your record"

Adebayo: "I’m just saying OG, I love you to death brotha. At some point it’s gonna happen."

Yes,it will, barring a major injury nobody wants, that stops Adebayo in his tracks. But it may not happen this season, unless Adebayo starts intentionally missing, for offensive rebounds. And if that happens, Haslem won't be joking the next time they talk.