NBA Likely to Forgo Disciplinary Action Against Bam Adebayo Following Altercation with Former Teammate

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has decided not to impose disciplinary action on Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) following a physical altercation with his former teammate, Tyler Herro (Milwaukee Bucks).

According to ESPN on July 17 (KST), an NBA spokesperson stated, "After discussions with the players involved and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), it is clear that all parties wish to move past this unfortunate incident," adding, "There will be no further action taken by the league office."

Adebayo reportedly struck Herro near the chin during a verbal dispute at a gym in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 10.

The altercation did not escalate further due to the intervention of bystanders.

ESPN reported that the conflict stemmed from a war of words on social media.

The two players, who were teammates in Miami for seven years, reportedly saw their relationship deteriorate over the past year.

With their relationship already strained, long-standing tensions surfaced following a major trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami and Herro to Milwaukee.

Following the trade, social media accounts believed to belong to Herro or his associates posted critical remarks aimed at Adebayo.

The posts questioned whether Adebayo was performing at a level commensurate with his 60 million dollar (approximately 83 billion KRW) salary, while also claiming that if Herro had been healthy, he should have been the one receiving more support from his teammates.

This was a direct rebuttal to Adebayo’s comments after Miami was eliminated in the play-in tournament this season, where he expressed frustration by stating, "I need more help from my teammates to compete for a championship."

Adebayo, unhappy with the remarks, confronted Herro, which ultimately led to the physical altercation.

However, the situation is set to conclude without disciplinary action, as Herro expressed a desire for an amicable resolution shortly after the incident, telling the media, "I want to put all of this behind me and focus on my new team, Milwaukee."

Meanwhile, Adebayo, a key big man for Miami, set a new record for the second-highest single-game scoring performance in NBA history last March, pouring in 83 points against the Washington Wizards and surpassing the late Kobe Bryant (81 points).

In contrast, Herro’s standing had diminished last season after he was limited to just 33 games due to injuries.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.