Bam Adebayo and A’ja Wilson’s Relationship: Everything to Know

A’ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo are taking their shot at love.

The WNBA MVP and the Miami Heat star first sparked dating rumors after being spotted together ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics. Though they remained tight-lipped for months, Wilson subtly confirmed their romance in February 2025 during NBA All-Star Weekend.

When asked by PEOPLE if she and her “NBA All-Star” were officially calling themselves each other’s Valentines, she replied, “I mean….”

That same month, Wilson was honored with a jersey retirement by her alma mater, the University of South Carolina. During her speech, the Las Vegas Aces star gave a subtle shout-out to Adebayo, who was sitting courtside.

“I wouldn’t be who I am today without the love, support and sacrifices of so many people,” she said. “What a blessing to have those most special to me courtside today, especially my favorite Olympian from out of town.”

From what they’ve said about their relationship to how the pair has supported one another, here’s everything to know about A’ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo’s relationship.

They first sparked dating rumors in the summer of 2024

Wilson and Adebayo first sparked dating rumors after being spotted spending time together just before the 2024 Summer Olympics, which they were both competing in.

In September 2024, Adebayo made a subtle nod to the WNBA star on X, posting the word “unanimous” but with an apostrophe — like Wilson’s first name — after she broke the WNBA’s single-season scoring record.

Since then, they’ve been spotted together multiple times, including out on a dinner date in Beverly Hills in January 2025, according to photos obtained by TMZ.

Wilson confirmed their romance in February 2025

After months of dating rumors, Wilson subtly confirmed her relationship while speaking to PEOPLE about her Valentine’s Day plans at NBA All-Star Weekend in February 2025.

“My plans are here at NBA All-Star. My NBA All-Star is not here,” she said, teasing her relationship status with Adebayo, who did not make the 2025 All-Star teams.

Wilson went on to say that Adebayo was “getting the rest he needs” during the All-Star break.

She continued, “And that’s the best Valentine gift that I can truly give him, is just the rest.”

They’ve been friends “for years”

Though they haven’t spoken about when their romance began, Wilson told PEOPLE that she and Adebayo have been friends “for years.”

In January 2025, Adebayo wore Wilson’s signature Nike shoe on the court during a game between the Miami Heat and the Brooklyn Nets.

When discussing the moment with PEOPLE, she said that Adebayo “really wanted to be at the forefront of pushing my shoes.” Given their longtime friendship, she was excited to see him wearing them on the court.

“If I have to put it out in the NBA, why not have someone like Bam Adebayo, who’s just a good person all around, to kind of showcase my shoes, so I was thankful he was able to wear it,” Wilson continued.

They support each other’s careers

As fellow professional basketball players, Wilson and Adebayo have frequently supported each other through their careers — both on and off the court.

The two were spotted at one another’s games throughout 2023, according clips posted on X. Both Wilson and Adebayo attended each other’s Team USA games throughout the Olympics, too.

In September 2024, Wilson was in attendance at a ceremony honoring Adebayo, who received a key to the city of Miami-Dade County after winning a gold medal with Team USA in Paris.

During the event, the city’s mayor Daniella Levine Cava called out Wilson’s attendance, saying, “A’ja Wilson, she won gold in women’s basketball. I guess that has something to do with Bam and the Heat being here today,” per CBS.

Meanwhile, Adebayo has continued to support Wilson with sly social media posts. After she became the first WNBA player to score 1,000 points in a single season in September, Adebayo shared another nod to Wilson on X, writing, “Hope everybody finds A’thousand reasons to smile on this lovely Sunday.”

They keep their romance out of the spotlight

Despite the pair’s frequent teases, Adebayo and Wilson have been keeping their romance out of the spotlight.

During a May 2024 interview with The 3 Point Conversion, Wilson opened up about navigating life in the public eye, saying, “I stay off social [media] a lot more because that world is so toxic. It’s so bad.”

“I just kind of remove myself from there just to stay mentally in the moment, and sometimes in real life, because I think we get so caught up in social and we find ourselves in rabbit holes,” she said. “It’s very poisonous to my mind, so I kind of just removed myself from there.”