Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat have already encountered LaMelo Ball once this season, losing by one-point to Ball’s new team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, in last week’s preseason action.
It was the first time the Heat met Ball after what happened during a game against Ball’s Charlotte Hornets in last season’s play-in tournament. Long before the game concluded on a frantic final play, Adebayo exited to the locker room after taking a hard fall. Ball appeared to play a role in the incident, as he was seen grabbing at Adebayo’s foot as the Miami star went crashing to the floor.
As fate would have it, Adebayo and the Heat’s season ended against Ball’s team last season, and it begins against Ball and his new team this season.
Miami Heat Star Makes Feelings Clear on Ball
Before the Heat took on the Wolves last week, Adebayo was asked about the incident that led to his exit during last season’s play-in game.
“I don’t carry hate in my heart,” Adebayo said, according to Heat insider Ira Winderman. “If you spend that much time thinking about that, then you’re not worried about the present and the future. “It happened, and it’s over with.”
Adebayo and Ball may have already met once since that game six months ago, but as the 29-year-old Heat star has made it clear that some things aren’t meant to be forgotten. So yes, this is very much a storyline entering the Heat’s regular season opener at Kaseya Center next week.
“It’s one of those things where you forgive — and you don’t forget,” Adebayo said. “But no hate in the heart.”
For those wondering, Ball did apologize after the Hornets escaped that play-in game in a narrow victory.
“I apologize on that one,” said Ball, who recorded 30 points and 10 assists in the win. “I got hit in the head, didn’t really know where I was, but I’mma check on him and see if he’s okay and everything.”
Miami Looks to Make Statement to Open Regular Season
Adebayo did say that he and Ball could meet to discuss last season’s incident.
“We’ll probably have a conversation,” Adebayo expressed. “Like I said, I’m not going to overthink that. We’re focused on this Heat team trying to do something special.”
But the best conversation to be had is on the court, where Adebayo will have the opportunity to let his game do the talking. And this time, he has quite the gang around him, starting with superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was acquired in the biggest trade of the offseason.
The Heat and Wolves, who are set to meet in the regular-season opener in Miami next week, are in a similar vein. Both are seen as that really-good-but-not-great team in their respective conference. But that’s mostly because they have juggernauts ahead of them, with Miami sharing the Eastern Conference with the defending NBA champions, while the Wolves are, by most accounts, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, the two teams that eliminated Minnesota in the last two postseasons.
Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo Has Blunt Words for LaMelo Ball Ahead of Wolves Game