Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo is no longer considered a young player.
He turns 27 next month. He is entering his eighth NBA season. He isn’t a kid any more, so the Heat are expecting even more this season.
“Bam has to look at his game and sit with coach, [and] how he can get better and expand his game,” Heat team president Pat Riley said. “He’s at a point right now, he’s an All-NBA player. We’re happy to have him.”
But …
They want to see a new and improved Adebayo. Last year he was named an All-Star for the third time. His scoring dipped a little (19.3 ppg) but he averaged a career-best 10.4 rebounds. He also played 71 games, helping the Heat make up for extended absences from Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler.
“In his growth spurt from his rookie to what he is right now has been off the chart,” Riley said. “Everybody in the league knows what his game is. They all know what he does for us, how important he is for us in a lot of areas.”
It is common for superstars to branch out later in their careers. Riley pointed out a similar transition with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson for the Los Angeles After losing to the Houston Rockets in 1986 conference finals, Johnson returned with a new wrinkle by averaging a career-high 23.9 points and leading them to another championship.
“He has to expand his game,” Riley said. “I remember in 1986, after we got beat by Houston, Magic came to me and said `we have to change some things. I have to change. I have to start shooting 3s.”‘
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Inside The Heat. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
2026 Patriot League ‘A’ finalist Marin Priddy will transfer and join the Miami-FL women for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. Priddy just finished her sophomore season with American.
“I am extremely excited to announce that I’ll be continuing my academic and athletic career at the University of Miami! I’m so grateful for this opportunity and so thankful for the amazing coaches at Miami!
I’m going to cherish the past two years at American and am so happy to have made the great memories and friends there. I’m excited for this next chapter! GO CANES”
Originally from San Clemente, California, Priddy arrived on campus in Washington DC in fall 2024. She had a strong freshman season and finished her year at the 2025 Patriot League Championships scoring 26 individual points. She was highlighted by personal bests in the 50 free (23.74) and 100 breast (1:04.71).
She returned for her sophomore season and had a breakout season. She concluded her sophomore year at the 2026 Patriot League Championships and scored 63.5 individual points. She most notably was 5th in the 100 breast with a 1:02.45 and 6th in the 50 free with a 23.29. She also had strong relay splits including a 27.78 50 breast, 1:02.05 100 breast, and a 22.85 50 free.
| High School | Freshman | Sophomore | |
| 100 breast | 1:04.82 | 1:04.71 | 1:02.45 |
| 50 free | 24.13 | 23.74 | 23.29 |
| 100 free | 53.32 | 52.54 | 51.3 |
The Miami-FL women finished 12th out of 15 teams at the 2026 ACC Championships with 322 points. Divers Margo O’Meara and Chiara Pellacani led the way with 60 individual points each. Ashlyn Massey led the swimmers with 29 individual points.
Based on her best times, Luddy is a huge pick up for the team’s breaststroke and sprint free groups. Her 100 breast time would have led the team by almost two seconds this past season as Zofia Sobczak led the team with a 1:04.26. It took a 1:02.20 to earn a 2nd swim at the 2026 ACC Championships. Luddy would have also been 4th on the roster in the 50 free, earning her sprint free relay potential as well.
Luddy joins fellow transfer Kaelia Hughes who will arrive from Arizona State. Hughes is also primarily a breaststroker with best times of a 1:01.40 100 breast and a 2:13.09 200 breast.
Two men from Germany were arrested after police said they were caught on surveillance video defacing a bench with antisemitic graffiti in Miami Beach.
Authorities said it happened Monday at around 5:34 p.m., when Miami Beach police officers responded to the area of 12th Street and Ocean Drive.
Police said officers found writing including a swastika and the words “Adolf Was Here” on an LGBTQIA+ bench located within Lummus Park.
Using surveillance video from city cameras, police were able to track down the two men involved.
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT Two men from Germany were arrested after police said they were caught on surveillance video defacing a bench with antisemitic graffiti in Miami Beach.
According to arrest reports, the footage shows how 58-year-old Christoph Rehak asked one of his friends for a marker, then he and 63-year-old Gunther Jekschtat sat on the bench next to each other.
“Mr. Rehak began to write on the bench while Mr. Jekschtat blocked him with his body so he could not be seen,” an arrest report states.
All of the men then left the area before they were tracked down to the Colony Hotel. Police saw them leaving and “quickly detained them.”
The group was taken to the Miami Beach Police Station to be interviewed, where Rehak allegedly confessed and said he wrote on the bench “as a joke.” He also allowed police to view his phone, where photos of the graffiti were found, police said.
Jekschtat, meanwhile, allegedly confessed to being aware that Rehak had written the antisemitic graffiti and purposely blocked him “to defend his friend,” according to an arrest report.
“He also apologized for lying” and “explained to the officers that he did not known why Mr. Rehak wrote that specific remark he believed he did it as a joke,” the report states.
In Florida, crimes are subject to increased penalties if there’s evidence of certain prejudice. These are known as hate crimes.
“Upon being further interviewed, Mr. Rehak did not show intent of the remark as being a hate crime,” an arrest report states. Further details were not immediately available.
Rehak and Jekschtat were arrested and charged with criminal mischief of more than $200 and less than $1,000.
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to South Florida.
On Monday, the grand opening of the official World Cup Store in Miami Beach was held.
Representatives from FIFA joined Miami Beach city officials, and reps from the Miami Host Committee were also there for the ribbon-cutting event.
Local 10’s Kacy Hintz joined the fun, and her full report can be seen at the top of this page.
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