Heat’s Bam Adebayo named to Team USA roster for Paris Olympics. Also, Heat injury updates

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo is going to be busy this summer.

What was already expected became official on Wednesday morning when Team USA announced the 12-man men’s basketball roster for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Adebayo will make his second appearance in the Olympics after helping Team USA win a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021.

Along with Adebayo, Team USA’s 12-man roster for the Paris Olympics will include LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Tyrese Haliburton.

But Adebayo won’t be the only Heat representative on Team USA for the Paris Olympics this summer. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will serve as an assistant coach for the national team under Team USA head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors.

“It’s an incredible honor for Bam,” Spoelstra said ahead of Wednesday night’s play-in tournament game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo center. “I feel the same way. It’s a pinch-yourself type of moment. The stage is going to be monumental there.”

What will be next for the Heat after play-in game vs. 76ers? NBA announces schedule details

Adebayo started for Team USA at center during its gold medal run in Tokyo, but his role might change with Embiid set to play in his first Olympics this summer. Adebayo averaged 6.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for Team USA during the Tokyo Olympics.

Adebayo, 26, joins Dwyane Wade as the only two players to compete in multiple Olympics while under contract with the Heat and is looking to become the first player to win multiple gold medals while with the Heat. He’s already one of just five players to win a gold medal while with the Heat, along with LeBron James (2012 Olympics), Wade (2008 Olympics), Alonzo Mourning (2000 Olympics) and Tim Hardaway (2000 Olympics).

Adebayo, who is in his seventh NBA season, averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 52.1 percent from the field this regular season. He was voted into his third NBA All-Star Game this season.

Adebayo is also among the top candidates for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award and is expected to make one of the NBA’s All-Defensive teams this season. He has already been named to the All-Defensive Second Team in each of the last four seasons.

“It just speaks to Bam’s reputation as a winning player, as an absolute winner, that he’ll do things on both sides of the floor that translate to winning,” said Spoelstra, who was also on Kerr’s Team USA coaching staff last summer for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. “That’s in the NBA, but also international. He already got a gold medal. He’s just starting to stack up great accolades and experiences. It’s going to be a tremendous experience. The competition will be high. We’ll have our work cut out for us. But Bam loves that, he loves the challenge and he loves the competition.”

With this season’s NBA Finals potentially going until June 23 if there’s a Game 7, Team USA will hold training camp in Las Vegas in early July. The Olympics will take place from July 26 through Aug. 11 in Paris, with 12 teams competing for the gold medal in men’s basketball.

The U.S. men’s basketball team has come away with the gold medal in four straight Olympics and is again the favorite to get gold this summer.

“It’s going to be a dope experience for all of us,” Adebayo said. “Obviously, having my coach there will be an insane moment. So we’re just going to cherish that moment and have fun with it.”

INJURY UPDATE

The good news is Duncan Robinson traveled with the Heat to Philadelphia after missing the final four games of the regular season with a lingering back injury labeled as left facet syndrome. He’ll be available for Wednesday’s critical play-in matchup against the 76ers.

“All hands on deck,” Spoelstra said following the Heat’s morning shootaround in Philadelphia on Wednesday. “Everybody is putting themselves out there even if they’re not 100 percent. He has been making a lot of progress. It’s just good to see him back in the fold and we’ll utilize him however we need to.”

But Heat guard Terry Rozier will miss his fifth straight game on Wednesday with neck spasms. He did not travel with the team to Philadelphia.

“I just feel for Terry,” Spoelstra said. “He’s been making a lot of progress. He’s not ready to play in an NBA playoff level game right now. But I’m encouraged, we’re encouraged. I feel for him. He’s such a competitor. I know how badly he wants to be out here for these kind of moments that I’m talking about. But we’ll continue to treat him and see how he feels.”

When asked if a return for the playoffs is possible for Rozier, Spoelstra said: “I’m always hopeful, but his body will let us know.”

Along with missing Rozier, the Heat remains without Josh Richardson (right shoulder surgery) on Wednesday against the 76ers.

The 76ers ruled out Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) and De’Anthony Melton (back injury recovery) for Wednesday’s game against the Heat.