- Report: Opposing teams wanted Miami Heat to attach 1st-round pick to offload onerous contracts
- Jimmy Butler praises tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, who says he gets nervous playing in front of celebrities like Heat star
- Erik Spoelstra’s level-headed comments after Miami Heat get walloped by Brooklyn Nets
- Tyler Herro indicates Miami Heat are looking to finish 6th seed or higher
- Gilbert Arenas admits he couldn’t ‘beat [Dwyane] Wade for s–t’
- Tristan Thompson says Miami Heat LeBron James was ‘scariest’ version, Mario Chalmers on some ‘sucka s–t’
- Jimmy Butler admits he doesn’t start ‘playing for real’ until after the All-Star break
- Jimmy Butler on Dwyane Wade: ‘I always want to make him proud’
- Erik Spoelstra ‘open to anything’ amid Miami Heat’s ever-changing center rotation
- Stan Van Gundy says Dwyane Wade is the best last-shot player he’s ever seen
Video: Bam Adebayo’s live, candid reaction to finding out he’s not a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year
- Updated: April 18, 2022
On Monday, Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo learned that he is not a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
For much of the season, Adebayo had campaigned to win the award. Despite that, he will end up coming up short.
Adebayo was speaking with members of the press when he found out that he did not make the cut. He was understandably disappointed.
Bam Adebayo says he didn't know he wasn't a DPOY finalist until talking to media after practice. His response:
"Disrespectful… I can do anything those other guys can do."
Goes on to cite the lack of national TV games as a reason. pic.twitter.com/E8wzs3MrqD
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) April 18, 2022
Adebayo has had a great season, which is quickly becoming quite typical for the one-time All-Star. In the regular season, he averaged 19.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game. All season long, he’s displayed his ability to switch onto nearly any player in the league on the defensive side.
He has the size and strength to face off against big men, and he also possesses the speed and agility needed to match up with guards and small forwards.
It’s worth noting that Adebayo missed some time in the regular season, as he played in just 56 games. That likely played a rather large role in him not being named a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.
While it is certainly unfortunate that Adebayo wasn’t named a finalist, there is a silver lining for Heat fans. It’s clear from the video alone that Adebayo feels disrespected by the decision. He’ll surely use that as fuel to be an even more dominant defender as the Heat continue their postseason journey.
The Heat are looking to return to the NBA Finals after last getting there in 2020.
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