Heat’s 7-Foot Center Reveals Birth of Baby Boy on Instagram [PHOTOS]
Getty Dewayne Dedmon #21 of the Miami Heat looks on against the New York Knicks at FTX Arena on January 26, 2022, in Miami, Florida.
Miami Heat center Dewayne Dedmon disclosed some important personal news on Instagram during the All-Star break, including the birth of his second child. Neither Dedmon nor his wife Kayla publicized her pregnancy on social media; consequently, the joyful news came as a total surprise for Heat fans.
The 32-year-old center tweeted a series of images to announce the birth of their new baby boy. “Dedmon Party of 4,” he captioned the Instagram image. “My second-born Roman Alexander Dedmon finally came on 2/20/22 💙💙.
Kayla, who married Dedmon in 2019, also confirmed the baby news on Instagram, sharing a hospital selfie with the newest addition to their family.
Dedmon’s teammates swarmed the comments area with expressions of congratulations. Kyle Guy remarked, 😢🖤, while Udonis Haslem replied, “Congrats Bra… 🎉🎂🎁.”
Other NBA stars also chipped in with personal notes. Golden State Warriors’ Nemanja Bjelica wrote, “Congratulations, brate🙏🏻❤️🤗” and Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris added, “Congratulations, bro!!!
Dedmon and Kayla are already parents to Dewayne Jr., who turned three in November. The family celebrated little Dewayne’s birthday with a cookie cake that featured a basketball drawn with icing on top.
Dedmon Continues to Be a Reliable Backup for All-Star Bam Adebayo.
Dedmon, a genuine 7-footer, was a late-season addition to the Heat’s roster in April 2021 and re-signed with the team on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract before the start of the 2021 NBA season.
In addition to providing size and tenacity on the floor, Dedmon is also producing on offense, surprisingly becoming one of the team’s most reliable three-point shooters. Thus far this season, Dedmon is averaging 6.6 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.
Miami Heat 3P% in December:
58%; Dewayne Dedmon, 53%; Caleb Martin, 52%; PJ Tucker, 46%; Max Strus, 40%; Gabe Vincent, 39%; Kyle Lowry, 38%; and Duncan Robinson.
The undrafted center out of USC continues to be a reliable backup for All-Star Bam Adebayo, and his everyday work ethic quickly won him respect from his Heat colleagues.
“Dewayne’s been solid, man,” sharpshooter Duncan Robinson said in late January. “I think that’s the biggest thing. He just shows up every day, a consummate professional, with the work that he puts in and the tenacity that he brings. He’s just a rock on both ends of the floor.
“His speech is fantastic, really loud, and super communicative, Robinson remarked. “He’s just the kind of guy you love to play with because you know he’s going to be reliable.
Heat Return From the All-Star Break on Friday
While the timing of Roman Alexander’s birth couldn’t have come at a better moment, Dedmon will return to work on Friday, February 24, when the Heat take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The Heat (38-21) began the All-Star break in first place atop the Eastern Conference, and Miami will attempt to keep the momentum rolling over the second half of the season. After a difficult road-game schedule throughout the first half of the season, the Heat have the most upcoming home games (15) and eight away games left in the regular season.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra advised his players to enjoy the holiday but stated upon their return, “We’ll buckle down and get serious, per Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman.
We know how competitive it is, Spoelstra said of the team’s upcoming 23 games. “And we have a lot of hard-nosed, competitive individuals in our locker room; they thrive and want these sorts of circumstances and peddling matchups.
