MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo’s sneakers were trimmed in gold. Fitting, given what the night was about.
### Honoring Olympic Medalists
Adebayo, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra, and Heat forward Nikola Jovic were honored Monday night for their Olympic medal accomplishments at the Paris Games. Adebayo got another banner in the rafters by winning Olympic gold as a member of the Heat, joining the one from the Tokyo Games that were played in 2021.
### Adebayo’s Accomplishments
Adebayo, the Heat’s captain, won gold as a member of the U.S. team in Paris, averaging 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in the six Olympic games. The Americans went undefeated in the tournament, rallying past Serbia in the semifinals and then holding off host France to win a fifth consecutive gold medal with a late-game 3-point barrage by Stephen Curry serving as the capper.
### Spoelstra’s Reflections
Spoelstra, who was part of the U.S. Olympic delegation as an assistant coach under Golden State’s Steve Kerr, reflected on the experience. “It was such an intense, gratifying core memory. It was so much fun.” He was proud of Adebayo’s accomplishment, saying, “In a young career, he’s really stacking up a lot of things — two gold medals at his age, two trips to the finals. It just says a lot about him and how he can impact winning, how he can fit into a team that’s about winning. That’s his language.”
### Jovic’s Bronze Medal
Jovic, who won a bronze medal with Serbia, was honored with a video tribute as part of the medal recognition night. He averaged 4.2 points for Serbia at the Olympics, with the team going 4-2, with both losses coming to the U.S. He was also part of the Serbia team that won silver at the World Cup in 2023.
### Conclusion
The Heat started the tribute in 2008 after Dwyane Wade was part of the team that won at the Beijing Games and added retroactive ones not long afterward for Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning — teammates on the team that won at the Sydney Games in 2000. The others are for LeBron James, who was on the team that won at the London Games in 2012, and for Adebayo’s win at Tokyo.
### FAQs
Q: Who were the Olympic medalists honored?
A: Bam Adebayo, Erik Spoelstra, and Nikola Jovic
Q: What were the achievements of the honored Olympic medalists?
A: Adebayo won gold with the U.S. team, Spoelstra was an assistant coach for the U.S. team, and Jovic won a bronze medal with Serbia
Q: How many Olympic gold medals has Adebayo won?
A: Two, in Tokyo and Paris
Q: How many Olympic gold medals has the Heat organization won?
A: Six, including the two won by Adebayo and one won by James
