The Miami Heat failed to advance in the Play-In Tournament back in April 2026 because they lost to the Charlotte Hornets. It could have gone either way, but the Heat would have benefited from having Bam Adebayo around, who sustained an injury in the second quarter of that game.
He missed the rest of the matchup because LaMelo Ball grabbed Adebayo’s leg while he was falling to the ground. It was not a pretty sight, and Ball got heavily criticized for it. Now, Adebayo has looked back on it, and it seems like he is taking the high ground in a situation where he did nothing wrong.
Bam Adebayo recalls the time when LaMelo Ball injured him
Heat fans were rightfully frustrated back then because they knew that Adebayo would have made an impact that could have won them that game. Considering Ball was the player who hit the game-winning shot back then, it was truly a bitter day for Heat fans.
Ball did apologize for tripping Adebayo, but it seems he made an excuse about not knowing where he was because he got hit in the head. Of course, it can be a valid explanation, but that did not sit well with the Heat fans. It did not sit well with the NBA either, as he was assessed a retroactive flagrant-2 foul.
Half a year later, it seems that Adebayo is doing his best to move on from the trip. It was a costly one because the Heat’s season ended there with Adebayo nursing a back injury from the trip. However, it did get them to a position where they could trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, so Adebayo is looking at the bright side.
“I don’t carry hate in my heart. 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. It’s one of those things where you forgive, and you don’t forget, but no hate in the heart,” Adebayo said about the injury he sustained because of Ball.
“Honestly, it kind of worked out better for us that we lost the game. So, I mean, the positive is it was part of us getting new guys on the team. We got a great reset.”
The Heat are now entering the 2026-27 season as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. On the other hand, the Hornets have moved on from Ball, as he is now with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It seems every party involved is doing well now, but it seems Adebayo will always remember that event.
