Bam Adebayo may be one of the best centers in the league, but he does not understand simple basketball etiquette.
During a U.S team shootaround, Kevin Durant was nailing corner threes when Miami’s Adebayo stole his ball, violating the unspoken rule.
The move did not sit well with Durant. Brooklyn’s two-time NBA champ hopped on Twitter to bust Adabayo’s chops.
“Dog seen me knock down the corner three and proceeds to work on his ball handling with the ball I green bean’d wit. Bro gotta learn some respect,” Durant tweeted.
Normally, if someone hits a shot, they are rewarded with getting the ball back. In the backyard, the rule has a name. Most people call it courtesy, but some refer to it as change, respect or “make it, take it.”
However, Adebayo attempted to defend himself against Durant. He pointed his fingers at Portland Trailblazers point guard Damian Lillard to indicate that he was the culprit.
“Stop Lying @KDTrey5 You Saw @Dame_Lillard Take Your Rock. You Just Tried To Little Bro Me,” Adebayo replied to Durant’s tweet.
Heading into Tokyo, the U.S. men’s team has faced unusual circumstances. Instead of dominating their opponents, they hold a 1-2 record in exhibition games. They lost to Nigeria and Australia in their first two games before defeating Argentina 108-80.
It may be difficult for the U.S team to reach their full potential, however. Bradley Beal dropped out of the Olympics due to COVID-19 protocols. Meanwhile, Zach LaVine has not been able to travel to Tokyo yet because of the virus, and Kevin Love withdrew from the event because of injury. They need to get their act together before they face France on Sunday,