Bam Adebayo has faced plenty of pressure on a basketball court. But apparently, none of it compares to asking a father for permission to marry his daughter.
The Miami Heat star recently opened up about one of the biggest moments of his relationship with WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson. During a conversation with ESPN, Adebayo revealed that he asked Wilson’s father, Roscoe Wilson, for his blessing before proposing.
Bam Adebayo said asking A’ja Wilson’s dad for her hand in marriage was terrifying.
A’ja Wilson: “I would love to be his wife. My ring finger is a little empty.”
Bam says he hasn’t bought the ring just yet
(via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/hCZhH5c1FC
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And yes, Bam admitted the conversation was nerve-wracking.
“One hundred percent. That was the most terrifying question I had to ask him,” Adebayo said. “I was like, ‘Man, would it be cool if… about marrying your daughter?'”
Adebayo said the conversation quickly turned into something far more meaningful than he expected as his girlfriend’s father gave him words of advice.
“I told him, I said, ‘Listen, I said, she is dope,'” Roscoe recalled. “That… you have A’ja’s heart. If you got A’ja’s heart, you got two more hearts to take care.”
Honestly, who can blame him? Asking a woman’s father for permission to propose is already stressful. Now imagine asking the father of one of the biggest stars in women’s basketball.
The emotional exchange left such an impact on Adebayo that he said he needed a private moment afterward. “I ain’t gonna lie. I went to the bathroom, I had to cry a little bit,” he admitted.
Adebayo went on to praise Roscoe Wilson, describing him as the father figure he always wished he had growing up. “Roscoe is the dad that I always wanted,” he said. “If I could have picked a dad, it would have 100 percent been Roscoe. One hundred percent.”
A’ja, who was also part of the conversation, made it clear the feeling is mutual, saying Adebayo has become part of her family. “Bam definitely feels part of the family,” she said.
The Las Vegas Aces star, who is yet to be proposed to, also playfully acknowledged that she’s ready for the next step in their relationship. “I would love to be his wife,” Wilson said with a smile. “My ring finger is a little empty, if you know what I’m talking about.”
Now the couple can focus on the next chapter together. And hopefully, Bam’s heart rate has finally returned to normal.
