What’s love without a little chaos? For Bam Adebayo, it’s apparently losing track of his durags. For A’ja Wilson, it’s watching her shorts migrate across state lines. And for fans? It’s the latest breadcrumb trail in a romance that’s playing out like a headline-grabbing subplot in both the NBA and WNBA seasons.

The most recent twist came courtesy of B/R W Sports, who dropped a carousel of videos and photos showing Wilson and Adebayo swapping outfits. One slide showed a screenshot from Wilson’s Instagram, where Bam chimed in with the now-iconic, “Smh I hate when I can’t find my durags 🙃.” Another featured the pair in the same Aces shorts, except Bam looked like the one doing the borrowing this time. If there was ever evidence of a soft launch going full public, this was it. And well, Wilson, the WNBA MVP, has been dropping hints for months.

During NBA All-Star Weekend in February, she was asked by PEOPLE if she and her “NBA All-Star” were officially Valentines. Her coy answer? “I mean….” Later that month, during her jersey retirement ceremony at South Carolina, she slipped in a shout-out to Adebayo, calling him her “favorite Olympian from out of town.” The crowd didn’t miss the wink. But of course, the timeline stretches further back.

Wilson and Adebayo were first spotted together ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, where both suited up for Team USA. By September, Adebayo had posted a sly nod on X, typing “unanimous” with an apostrophe after Wilson broke the WNBA’s single-season scoring record. Subtle, but not subtle enough to escape notice. Since then, their outings have piled up.

A dinner date in Beverly Hills caught by TMZ in January, shared appearances at each other’s games, and even Bam rocking Wilson’s signature Nike shoe in a Heat game. When asked why, Wilson said Adebayo “really wanted to be at the forefront of pushing my shoes.” And while his relationship with Wilson grabs the clicks, Bam Adebayo’s play with the Miami Heat is what keeps the lights on. The 28-year-old is averaging 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists this season, which are solid numbers, but not quite the leap many believe he needs to make. The Heat ended their season with a first-round exit and whispers about change.

Former NBA guard Jeff Teague didn’t hold back words on his podcast: “Bam been skating under the radar. We putting the pressure on Bam. He gotta figure it out. He gotta be at 24 [points] and 10 [rebounds]. The 18 and 9, that’s solid numbers for a third option, second option, whatever he wanna be.” That’s the crux of it. Can Bam be more than solid? With Miami drafting Kasparas Jakucionis and trading for Norman Powell, offensive expectations may shift again. Yet the calls for Adebayo to dominate haven’t stopped.

Bam Adebayo’s balancing act

His career-high average is 20.4 points from the 2022-23 season, and reaching 24 and 12 feels like a stretch, but not impossible. His defensive versatility is elite, his playmaking rare for a big, and his consistency? Undeniable. The question is whether he can strengthen from “cornerstone” to “undeniable force.” On Wilson’s side, dominance isn’t in question.

In August 2025, she became the first WNBA player to notch a 30-20 game, torching Connecticut with 32 points and 20 rebounds. Add three MVP awards, two Defensive Player of the Year honors, and back-to-back championships, and she’s not just at the top of her game, but also redefining it. Her presence alone keeps the Aces in perpetual title contention. Wilson has also transformed on-court greatness. How?

By arguably becoming a cultural ambassador for the league with her signature Nike shoe and global Team USA resume. If Bam is Miami’s quiet backbone, Wilson is Vegas’s undeniable engine. So what happens when two athletes of this caliber link up? For one, it shines a rare spotlight on both leagues simultaneously. Their shared appearances from the Olympics to courtside moments give fans a storyline that blends NBA dominance with WNBA intrigue. It’s a partnership that resonates, even if both insist on keeping much of it private. Still, the teases keep coming.

A’ja showing up at Bam’s key-to-the-city ceremony. Bam Adebayo fan-boying through X posts after her record-setting nights. The jersey shout-outs, the borrowed clothes. Each moment adds another piece to the puzzle, giving fans just enough to dissect while leaving the bigger picture unfinished. On the floor, Bam’s challenge is growth.

Off it, he’s succeeding in a relationship that continues to catch attention without demanding it. Wilson, meanwhile, is chasing both history and hardware, sealing her place among the all-time greats. What’s next? Maybe more matching fits. Maybe another subtle nod on X, or maybe a joint appearance that makes everything official. Either way, the intrigue isn’t slowing down.