Bam Adebayo was back in the spotlight in Las Vegas on Monday night. This time, it was courtside at a WNBA game sitting next to Mike Tyson, not inside a practice facility dealing with the aftermath of a fight.
The Miami Heat center watched the Las Vegas Aces take on the Indiana Fever with the boxing legend at his side. Veteran NBA reporter Marc J. Spears posted the image, which immediately went viral. It was Adebayo’s first public appearance since reports surfaced that he had a physical altercation with former teammate Tyler Herro at a Summer League practice site in Las Vegas.
According to multiple outlets, Adebayo struck Herro during a confrontation. Neither player has spoken publicly about what happened. The Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks, who acquired Herro in the blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, acknowledged the situation but declined to comment further.
That trade, by the way, reshaped both franchises. Miami landed Antetokounmpo and shipped Herro to Milwaukee. So whatever happened between Adebayo and Herro in that practice facility was already layered with tension from the deal itself. Now it’s just another subplot in what’s been a wild NBA offseason.
Adebayo looked relaxed Monday night. Tyson, seated beside him, seemed to be enjoying the game too. The contrast was hard to ignore: one of the most feared fighters in history chilling next to a guy who just had one of the most talked-about weeks of any NBA player this summer.
Adebayo’s status with the Heat hasn’t changed
For all the drama, Adebayo remains the cornerstone of Miami’s defense and a central piece of their championship push. He’s a six-time All-Defensive selection and has evolved into one of the league’s best two-way centers. His offensive game keeps growing too. In March, he dropped 83 points on the Washington Wizards, a performance that reminded everyone he’s not just a defensive anchor.
The Heat reached the Finals in 2020 and 2023 with Adebayo as the hub. Now with Antetokounmpo in the mix, the expectations are even higher. Whatever happened in Vegas between Adebayo and Herro might be a distraction for now, but the season is still a couple months away. By then, this story will likely be old news.
For Monday night at least, Adebayo looked like a guy ready to move on. Sitting next to Mike Tyson will do that.
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