With all the anticipation hovering around Game 1 of the NBA Finals, there is still one person the players never want to forget. The Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat have a lot on their plate, but they’ve certainly ticked one box. The Lakers have been consistently paying tribute to the late Kobe Bryant all throughout the Playoffs by wearing his jerseys and breaking records. However, it looks like the Miami Heat will not step back in doing their part, even if the Legend was a part of their NBA Finals contender.

Miami Heat star will pay his tribute to Kobe Bryant in his own way

Miami Heat‘s center, Bam Adebayo, has been vital in the Eastern Conference Finals. He has proven to be a complete package with his scoring, rebounds, assists, and even defense. The catch here is that Adebayo has played the first three rounds of the NBA Playoffs while wearing the Kobe vii sneakers.

Even though Kobe belonged to a rival team, it won’t stop Bam from wearing them again in the NBA Finals against the Lakers. It is his own way of paying tribute to the legend.

When discussing Kobe’s untimely death in the helicopter crash earlier this year, Bam said, “Well, obviously, you know what he means to the game, because you saw everybody when they heard about it. Nobody wanted to believe it. It still doesn’t feel real to this day. But you see the effect that he had on the world.”

He further explained what it means to him wearing Kobe’s shoes in this special moment of his career. “Me, growing up, I was a Kobe fan, Kobe fanatic,” Adebayo said, “and just getting, just being able to just wear his shoes, it’s my favorite shoe to play in. I’ve been playing in them this whole playoff run, so can’t stop now.”

Do you think the Miami Heat stand a chance against the Lakers?

The Miami Heat pummeled every single one of its opposing teams. So what will stop them now? They haven’t trailed even once in the Playoffs, but it’s safe to say the Lakers are a much bigger challenge to them.

It is tough to say which team will take the lead in Game 1, but what’s certain is that they won’t make it easy for one another. The Lakers want to fulfill Kobe’s dream of achieving as many championship rings as possible, so they both know exactly what’s at stake.