Bam Adebayo's New Bourbon Is a Family Affair

Bam Adebayo’s career in basketball thus far has brought him a host of honors, including being named an NBA All-Star three times and two gold medals representing the United States in his sport of choice. It isn’t necessarily the next logical step, but Adebayo’s latest venture sounds both heartwarming and delicious: he’s teaming up with his mother, Marilyn Blout, for a limited-edition bourbon produced by Maker’s Mark.

Given that Adebayo has played for just one NBA team — the Heat — for the whole of his professional career, it may not come as a surprise to learn that this bourbon is being sold at retailers in Miami. Bam & Marilyn’s 1 of 1 has a suggested price of $69.99. In their announcement, Maker’s Mark touted flavor notes of toasted coconut, vanilla and baking spice.

Adebayo and Blout visited Maker’s Mark earlier this year and developed the blend at that time. It’s the last installment in the distillery’s Private Selection program, which has also produced acclaimed whiskeys like a 2021 collaboration with Black Bourbon Society.

When unveiling the new bourbon, Adebayo called Blount “my inspiration on and off the court.” In 2020, Adebayo bought his mother a house after signing a five-year contract extension with the Heat.

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“It was a pleasure to host Bam and Marilyn at the Maker’s Mark homeplace this summer — to share what makes our brand so special and to bring their taste vision of Maker’s Mark to life through the Private Selection program,” said the distillery’s managing director, Rob Samuels, in a statement. And it begs the question: what high-profile collaborators will Maker’s Mark end up working with next?