Ladies and gentlemen, in the greatest mismatch since Muggsy Bogues tried guarding Shaq, we now present: Bam Adebayo vs. Google. Spoiler alert — it wasn’t pretty.The Miami Heat star, three-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive Team selection, and proud owner of one of the best pick-and-roll games in the league, woke up one fine morning only to find that Google—yes, the Google—had no idea who he was. You’d think after averaging 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 48.5% shooting last season, a tech company with enough computing power to predict your next craving would at least know the man’s name.But nope. Instead of Bam Adebayo, search results hilariously brought up Bam Bowman, a player who sounds more like someone you unlock in NBA 2K MyCareer after finishing the G-League story arc. And when Heat fans — and eventually the team itself — pointed it out, Google rushed to fix it. Well… tried to. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miami HEAT (@miamiheat)Because they corrected the name to Bam Adeboye, that’s right. They swapped one fictional hooper for another. You could practically hear Erik Spoelstra sighing from Biscayne Bay.Miami’s social team, as always, did what it does best: cook. They dropped a hilarious Vice-themed jersey wallpaper featuring both Bam Bowman and Bam Adeboye — because if you’re gonna get disrespected, you might as well lean all the way in. They even dropped a screenshot showing a conversation with the 27-year-old.Miami Heat: (Screenshot of the Bam Bowman Google result) They doing you dirty bro Bam Adebayo: Bowman?Miami Heat: (Screenshot of the Miami Heat X’s account asking Google to correct their “captain’s name) We’re on itBam Adebayo: Y’all messing with me?!?Miami Heat: 100% realAnd look, this wasn’t some DNP-CD guy Google forgot about. Bam is a cornerstone of the franchise. He had a slight statistical dip this season, but only because he started playing more at the 4 alongside rookie big-fella-of-the-future Kel’el Ware. Even then, his defense stayed elite, and his court vision continued to make opposing bigs look like they were defending blindfolded.Oh, and if you forgot, in 2023, he peaked with a season averaging 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 54% from the field. That’s not a ‘who’s that?’ player. That’s ‘please stop switch-defending him with a point guard’ territory.How does this even happen?When Google messes up your name twice in the span of a few hours, it raises more questions than James Harden at a team dinner. We’re talking about a company that can autofill ‘how many’ into ‘how many ants does it take to carry a human,’ but it can’t distinguish a current NBA superstar from a mid-major college player who hasn’t touched the league?It’s not just funny — it’s kind of wild. In today’s era, your digital footprint is everything. Search engine visibility plays a big role in brand value, endorsements, and yes, even jersey sales. Bam might be a Heat legend in the making, but if Google thinks he’s a fictional character from a ‘90s cartoon, how’s the rest of the world supposed to catch on?Bam’s case isn’t just about a tech hiccup — it’s about how recognition works in modern sports. Despite his accolades and impact on both ends of the floor, he’s still not a household name outside the NBA diehard circles. If this happened to LeBron, the servers would’ve been melted down within seconds. Bam? He had to wait over three hours just to get his name half-correct.Feb 7, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) looks on during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesAnd let’s not forget — this is the same guy anchoring Miami’s defense, adjusting to a new position, and still being floated in every mock trade like he’s a customizable puzzle piece. Yet he still doesn’t have a digitally confirmed identity?Despite the botched browser bio, Bam remains a certified problem in the East. Whether it’s switching onto guards, orchestrating dribble handoffs, or leading defensive rotations that would make Thibodeau weep with joy, the man is him. He’s expected to remain the foundation of the Heat moving forward, especially as Pat Riley and the front office figure out how to build around him and Tyler Herro.And now that this Google fiasco is behind him, maybe — just maybe — someone in Silicon Valley will remember to check Basketball-Reference before assigning names to NBA stars. Because make no mistake: Bam Adebayo is not Bam Bowman. He is not Bam Adeboye. He is Bam Freaking Adebayo. And if you forget that again, he might just switch onto you and contest your search history.The post Fact Check: Did Google Change Bam Adebayo’s Name? appeared first on EssentiallySports.