MIAMI — Bam Adebayo made quite a statement with his gold-trimmed sneakers during a special ceremony recognizing his Olympic achievements. The event took place on Monday night, celebrating the accomplishments of Adebayo, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, and forward Nikola Jovic at the Paris Games. Adebayo was honored with another banner for his Olympic gold win, joining one that commemorates his success from the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Spoelstra served as an assistant coach for the U.S. team in Paris, while Jovic earned a bronze medal with the Serbian national squad. The unveiling of Adebayo’s new banner, featuring his name alongside the U.S. flag, occurred during halftime of the Heat’s match against the Sacramento Kings. Accompanied by his mother Marilyn Blount, she wore Adebayo’s Tokyo gold medal and adorned him with the Paris gold medal as the festivities began.
“Keep tallying them up,” remarked Adebayo, who serves as Miami’s captain and is the first player to secure two Olympic gold medals while part of the Heat. “This is something special. It continually solidifies my name in the history books.”
During the six Olympic games, Adebayo averaged 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds as Team U.S.A. achieved an unblemished record. They advanced past Serbia in the semifinals and clinched the gold against the host country France, closing the game with a series of crucial three-pointers from Stephen Curry.
Reflecting on the experience, Spoelstra shared, “A few days ago, I was revisiting some photos from the trip. It holds an intense, fulfilling core memory for me. It was incredibly enjoyable.”
Adebayo’s newly unveiled banner marks the sixth Olympic gold tribute hanging in Miami’s rafters. The tradition began in 2008 when Dwyane Wade was recognized for his role in the Beijing Games. Shortly afterward, banners were also added for Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning, who were members of the team that secured gold at the Sydney Games in 2000. Additional banners celebrate LeBron James’s contributions during the 2012 London Games and Adebayo’s Olympic win in Tokyo.
“I’m really pleased for Bam,” Spoelstra commented. “Despite being early in his career, he’s accumulating an impressive record — two gold medals and two trips to the finals. This speaks volumes about his capability to drive team success and his overall contribution to winning culture.”
Notably, current Heat players Kevin Love and Jimmy Butler, both gold medalists, do not have banners commemorating their Olympic victories since they weren’t part of the Heat during those tournaments. The same applies to former Heat stars like Christian Laettner, Penny Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, and others, who earned gold medals outside their time with the team. While LeBron James has two golds, the achievements from his non-Heat years have also not been recognized with banners.
Jovic received a dedicated video tribute during the medal recognition event. He averaged 4.2 points for Serbia at the Olympics; the team recorded a 4-2 record, with both defeats coming from the U.S. Jovic was also part of the Serbian squad that earned silver in the 2023 World Cup.
“That was a remarkable team,” praised Spoelstra. “What they accomplished over the past two summers is outstanding.”