“When you can be your true self in front of someone, in front of your partner, that’s the purest form of love. At any point if I ever need a voice to hear or just a hug, he’s always there,” said A’ja Wilson about her NBA boyfriend, Bam Adebayo. The duo were rumored to be in a relationship since the 2024 Summer Olympics, but it wasn’t until February 2025 that the Las Vegas Aces player confirmed the same. Since then, the couple has become more open in public. However, as it turns out, this relationship wouldn’t have happened if the NBA star hadn’t been willing to look past her accolades.

Miami Heat legend and 3x NBA champion Dwyane Wade recently hosted another episode of his ‘Time Out’ podcast. During the same, he recalled spending some time with Bam Adebayo at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Adebayo was part of the ‘Team USA’ Men’s Basketball roster that eventually won the Gold Medal, while Wade travelled to Paris to make his game-calling debut with the NBC Broadcasting team. Wade revealed that he and Adebayo were able to watch the women’s ‘Team USA’ basketball roster also play. When doing so, it was hard to ignore A’ja Wilson, who was not only the highest average scorer of Team USA’s women’s basketball roster, but she also ranked 3rd overall amongst the other players too.

“Bam cracks me up — he was like, ‘Man, my little award case….I ain’t got a chance. She so cold.’ He was like ‘her awards is just like a high school award. You know, like, one of them top division schools that wins everything,” said Wade when recalling Bam Adebayo’s words.

It is not that hard to figure out why Adebayo felt underwhelmed about himself when being put on a pedestal with A’ja Wilson. After all, in the last 7 years, 1 year less than Bam Adebayo’s tenure in the NBA, Wilson has won 2 WNBA championships, has been named as the league MVP 4 times (only WNBA player to do so), was named the Defensive Player of the Year thrice, has made the All-WNBA First Team 4 times, etc.

Bam Adebayo himself has attained success. He has been named to the NBA All-Star team thrice, made the All-Defensive First Team in 2024, and the All-Defensive Second Team 4 times. However, he is yet to win a championship, and hasn’t been named as MVP even once. Furthermore, while the Miami Heat star boasts 2 Olympic Gold Medals, Wilson also has 2 Olympic Gold Medals, along with 2 Gold earned in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, 2 in the FIBA Under-19 World Cup, and 1 in the FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship.

As a report by ‘Fadeaway World’ highlighted, “For Bam, the humor is in the honesty.” While the NBA star’s achievements are impressive, it is easy to feel overwhelmed when looking at all the hardware and honors A’ja Wilson possesses. Fortunately, it isn’t something that bothers the NBA star. In fact, if his recent gesture towards the WNBA star showed something, it is that he is led by pride, rather than insecurity, for his girlfriend.

Bam Adebayo Personally Presented the 2025 WNBA MVP Honor to A’ja Wilson

About a week ago, A’ja Wilson was named the 2025 WNBA MVP. She received 51 first-place votes and 657 points to finish ahead of Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier, who received 18 first-place votes and 534 points. This was a historical moment, as no other WNBA player had received as many MVP titles. To celebrate this feat, Bam Adebayo took initiative.

After the announcement of the 2025 WNBA MVP winner, the WNBA’s official X handle shared a video highlighting the moment when the Aces star first got the news. The team players were in the middle of receiving instructions as a practice session was underway. After the coach concluded things from her end, the NBA star walked onto the basketball court, along with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, while carrying the MVP trophy.

Once everyone realized what was happening, Wilson’s teammates surrounded her and kept on cheering as the woman of the hour kneeled on the floor. Wilson got back up and was visibly emotional. After all, when Adebayo presented her the award, someone else had to provide Wilson a tissue as well.

Though Dwyane Wade claims that Bam Adebayo got humbled by Wilson’s accolades, the viral video of the Heat star presenting the MVP honor speaks otherwise. The same was seen when Bam Adebayo attended A’ja Wilson’s jersey retirement at her alma mater (University of South Carolina), back in February. With any luck, A’ja Wilson reciprocates those gestures by showing up when Bam Adebayo wins big.