PINETOWN — From Northside to High Point Christian Academy, forward Edrice “Bam” Adebayo went from being a local sensation to a name recognized across the nation. After three seasons with the Panthers, he transferred to High Point Christian to ramp up the level of competition he would see.

It worked out great for the soon-to-be Kentucky Wildcat. He led the team in scoring (18.9 points per game) and rebounding (13 per game). The Cougars fell short of a state championship, but Adebayo is confident the experience prepared him for the next step. He reports to Kentucky on June 5.

Adebayo paid a visit to Northside for senior night. Here’s what he had to say about what’s been going on in his life lately.

 

On the experience of announcing his commitment live on ESPN’s Mike & Mike:

“I was just blessed that I could be the first person on Mike & Mike to commit.

On the competition he faced during his senior season:

“All the competition we faced, everybody had somebody going to a major school. We played a team that had two people going to Tennessee. There was somebody going to UCLA, Duke. It gets you ready. You need it or you might come up short in college.”

On the toughest games he played this season:

“Greensboro Day, Wesleyan (Christian Academy) and Chaminade. They just played like us. It’s hard, for a team that plays exactly like you, to beat them.”

On what excites him most about heading to Kentucky:

“It’s just starting a new journey in my life. From high school and then transitioning into college, then college on. … I want to win a national title and to be a student-athlete. Other than that, I just want to bond and get closer with my coaches.”