Inside The Heat

Is Window Closing For Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo To Win Defensive Player Of Year?

Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat

Sep 30, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) talks to reporters during media day at Kaseya Center Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sep 30, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) talks to reporters during media day at Kaseya Center Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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The NBA general managers released their annual survey of the best in the league.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo finished second in the voting for the best defender behind San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. It raises this question: Has the window closed for Adebayo to win the award?

Miami Heat On SI contributor Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat believes so.

"It’s closing because while he does so many things really well, he doesn’t do anything great," said Rodriguez-Chomat, who also hosts the ComeOnNow podcast. He doesn’t rebound at a level that would blow you away (10.4 rebs had him 12th), doesn’t get a lot of steals 33rd, is a below average shot blocker 31st. Al Horford had more blocked shots last year than Bam. Alex Caruso had more blocked shots than Bam. Derrick White had more blocked shots than Bam.  He is not a rim protector. What Bam gets benefited from is that he is well-rounded. He can switch well. He can guard smaller players. He can guard bigger players. He makes life miserable for a guy like Joel Embiid. But is that enough to be the Defensive Player of the Year? Probably not."

 Adebayo has yet to win the award. It won't get any easier with the emergence of Wembanyama, who could become the face of the league after winning Rookie of the Year last season.

"Not when you have a gazelle like Victor Wembanyama out there who was recently rated as the No. 1 defensive player in the NBA by general managers," Rodriguez-Chomat said. "Bam was tied for second with Rudy Gobert and Jrue Holiday. In past seasons, he was penalized for missing games where he could have been named DPOY."

Rudy Rodiguez-Chomat is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at Comeonnowthepodcast@gmail.com or follow his podcast on YouTube

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Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat
RUDY RODRIGUEZ-CHOMAT

Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat is a native of South Florida. Born and raised in Miami Beach, he graduated with a degree in Journalism from Florida International University. He has covered sports in South Florida for the last 25 years for outlets including the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel. He hosts Come On, Now! podcast.