It’s not a secret that Miami Heat Bam Adebayo is one of the best defenders in the NBA. After locking down Stephen Curry (coming off an MVP season) as a rookie, all of us knew the potential was there–even before that moment.
Since becoming a starter in 2019-20, he’s solidified it. He’s finished top-5 in Defensive Player of the Year voting each of the last five seasons, including earning a top-3 nod this season–trailing only Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, a four-time DPOY winner, and San Antonio (super) rookie Victor Wembanyama, who led the NBA in blocks (3.6) this season.
Adebayo’s not only one of the best defensive players, he’s arguably the most versatile. There’s specific basketball nomenclature for players who can defend 1-5 while Adebayo is one of the few who can actually do it, at an elite level. He’s also an exceptional drop-defender despite being undersized for a center; he’s got very good hands, timing and mobility–both in the feet and the hips–when he’s in space.
But the one thing he’s missing to unequivocally earn that title as being the “best” defender is the defensive player of the year award–voted by the media, not the coaches or his peers, where he’s held in an even higher regard. In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill, Adebayo expressed his frustration with pretty telling comments.
“I have to do all this and average 20, 10 and 5,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports Senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill. “”That’s one thing that irks me, it’s not my fault I’m versatile. I’ve been top five in DPOY voting the last five years, there’s been guys y’all (media) been giving it to over me.
“A point guard (Marcus Smart) got it over me, a center (Rudy Gobert) got it over me, a power forward (Jaren Jackson Jr.) has gotten it over me. The goalposts move for me, in certain degrees. It’s me and a lot of undrafted dudes, and we still have a top-five defense.
“These other guys have All-NBA dudes (around them). Some of it is, they don’t really care about us and that’s fine. I think they should pay attention to consistency because being top five DPOY, I think I have the longest streak of All-Defensive teams, so the goalposts move for me.”
He’s not wrong. The Heat have courted a top-10 defense–adjusted for strength of schedule–in four of the five seasons he’s been a starter, per Dunks & Threes; the only time it wasn’t was in 2019-20, when it ranked No. 13. It’s fielded a top-5 defense twice despite having multiple below-average point of attack defenders–namely Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, Kyle Lowry (in moments), Duncan Robinson (in moments), post-Achilles injury Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, etc.
He’s covered up a lot for a lot of players. The centers are typically the backbone of a team’s defense schematically. Bam Adebayo is the Heat defense--while also being a bone-crushing screener, underrated playmaker, play-finisher and rebounder. Now he’s going to be tasked with spacing the floor and being even more efficient outside of 10 feet.
That’s a lot for any single player–especially one who accumulates as many bumps and bruises he does on a night-to-night basis at 6-foot-9.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra had funny comments on it, too:
“We’re still talking about that? Good,” the Miami Heat coach said somewhat sarcastically.
“It’s all how you view it. There’s a lot of factors that go into it. It’s about having a great defensive team. It’s about anchoring a great defense, making players around you better defensively and having extraordinary defensive talent. He checks all those boxes.
“But the argument, we’re past that now.”
He has the respect around the league, but it’s not enough to not justify winning defensive player of the year when you can make the case he’s the best in the NBA.
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Just fking ridiculous that Bam hasn’t won at least 2 DPOYS by now.
The way the nba plays now is completely different from the way they played even 15 years ago.
Shouldn’t the way a DPOY be voted on be different as well?
So why are these media clowns using outdated criteria when voting for DPOY.
Aren’t they embarrassed to give the award to a player that continuously gets exposed in the playoffs every fking year?
A DPOY should be the best defender in the modern nba, that means the defender who best defends 1-5. PERIOD.
agree. rudy very tall wtf is wrong with voters.rudy has no mobility.if ad or draymond won that be ok. not gobert fk that
Bam its a team game fk individual honors.Be frustrated pat didnt get u and jimmy enough help.Your a great defensive player.Work on your offensive game.
I agree with that comment. Not only did Jimmy carry far too much weight in getting us to the finals, but so did Bam. To quantify it, let’s say Jimmy, who was then a superstar, carried 30% of the collective load in 2022, when ideally he should have been carrying 20%. And Bam carried 25% when he should have carried 15%. Look at how it was for this year’s Celtics superstars, Tatum didn’t even have a good finals, but he and Brown shouldered about a much healthier 20% each, as they had big contributions from the rest of the team.
Furthermore, yes Pat gets credit for trading for Jimmy and drafting Bam. But, Jimmy blossomed into a superstar right while being on the Heat. And Bam became almost as great. The Heat and Pat were so fortunate to come into such a potent one two punch. But, then Pat had three years to get them a true running mate. He tried with VO, but in retrospect, that was a bad move made on a bit of a prayer. Then he never came up with much till Rozier, his one recent good move, but by then Jimmy was worn down and the window is all but closed.
rozier was needed 3 years ago