Miami Heat Star Blasts NBA Media For Controversial Decision
![May 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and forward Jimmy Butler (22) react after a play during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports May 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and forward Jimmy Butler (22) react after a play during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4800,h_2700,x_0,y_56/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_grizzlies/01j2fn60tyv0e2k1rr2s.jpg)
The Memphis Grizzlies have two of the last three Defensive Player of the Year award winners on their roster, but Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo believes he should have at least one of them. Speaking with Vince Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, Adebayo blasted the NBA media for moving the goalposts.
“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,” Adebayo told Yahoo Sports. “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."
Been the anchor of our defense for years. Recognition was due for Bam. 💥 pic.twitter.com/srMJiMvDwO
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 21, 2024
Adebayo added, "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."
It is certainly fair for Adebayo to feel this way, as he carries one of the biggest defensive responsibilities in all of basketball. That said, there are a lot of really talented defenders in the NBA, making it hard to select one Defensive Player of the Year each season. For Adebayo, he does not yet have a Defensive Player of the Year award, but does have five All-Defensive selections.
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