Bam Adebayo was born on July 18, 1997, in Newark, New Jersey, USA. He moved to North Carolina at a young age and attended High Point Christian Academy, where he showcased his exceptional basketball skills. Adebayo went on to play college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, where he had an impressive freshman season and earned All-SEC Second Team honors. His performances at Kentucky caught the attention of NBA scouts, leading him to declare for the NBA Draft after just one season.