Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo commits to Team USA for Tokyo Olympics

Bam Adebayo’s offseason schedule now includes a trip to Tokyo for the Olympics.

The Miami Heat star center committed to join Team USA’s 12-man roster for the Olympics this summer, a source confirmed to the Miami Herald on Monday. Adebayo was part of the initial list of players considered for Tokyo.

ESPN was the first to report the news.

Adebayo, who turns 24 in July, participated in Team USA training camp during the 2019 offseason, but he was cut from the national team in advance of the FIBA World Cup that summer. Adebayo said months later the rejection from that experience motivated him because “I feel like I deserved to be on the team.”

Now, Adebayo is on track to join Tim Hardaway, LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade on the list of Heat players who have played for Team USA in the Olympics.

Along with Adebayo, Washington’s Bradley Beal, Phoenix’s Devin Booker, Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant and James Harden, Golden State’s Draymond Green, Portland’s Damian Lillard and Boston’s Jayson Tatum have also reportedly committed to Team USA’s 12-man roster for the Tokyo Olympics.

Heat wing Jimmy Butler was also on Team USA’s list, but he opted for rest and declined an invitation to participate in the Olympics last week. This decision allows Butler to prioritize rest and his offseason regimen in preparation for the start of next season, with training camps scheduled to open Sept. 28.

Heat forward Duncan Robinson is also among those being considered for a spot on the national team. Robinson said at the end of this past season that “if I had the opportunity to represent my country, that would be something really difficult to pass up” but his impending free agency could complicate matters.

Adebayo averaged career highs in points (18.7) on 57 percent shooting from the field and 79.9 percent shooting from the foul line, assists (5.4) and steals (1.2) to go with nine rebounds in 64 regular-season games (64 starts) this past season — his fourth in the NBA. Adebayo and Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only two players in the NBA who averaged at least 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block.

During the Heat’s disappointing first-round playoff sweep against the Bucks, Adebayo averaged 15.5 points on 45.6 percent shooting, 9.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals.

Adebayo, who was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last week, is due $28.1 million next season in the first year of a five-year, $163 million max contract extension he signed last offseason.

Team USA will open its men’s training camp, led by coach Gregg Popovich, in Las Vegas on July 6. Camp will include a five-game exhibition schedule that begins with a matchup against Nigeria on July 10.

Team USA opens the Olympics with group play on July 25 against France, and the competition will run through Aug. 7. For the preliminary round, Team USA is part of Group A alongside France, Iran and the still-to-be-determined winner of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria, Canada.

Along with the United States, Argentina, Australia, France, Iran, Japan, Nigeria and Spain have already qualified for the Olympics. Four other teams will be added to the field through qualifying tournaments in the coming weeks.

The U.S. men’s basketball team is seeking a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal and enters the competition ranked No. 1 by FIBA.