What makes Bam Adebayo so special?

Original photo by Michael Reaves | Getty ImagesIt’s a popular refrain in professional basketball to say that the age of the big man is over. Sure enough, the game has changed. Gone are the days when big-bodied centers like Shaquille O’Neal and Patrick Ewing controlled the flow of NBA offenses. But as the past two NBA Playoffs have shown us, it’s not quite so simple as that. Big men can still run the show — it just looks a little different now.

Saturday night, Bam Adebayo was the most dominant player on the floor in Miami’s thrilling Game 3 victory over Boston. The burly UK product exerted his influence all over the court, making plays in transition, on the block, and everywhere in between;…