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.
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.