NBA All-Star Calls It 'Crime' Bam Adebayo Is Yet To Win Defensive Player Of The Year

Anthony Pasciolla | Sep 10, 2024

Apr 17, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter of a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo is one of the NBA's premier defenders but is yet to capture the ultimate hardware: Defensive Player of the Year.

Retired NBA All-Star Caron Butler considers it a 'crime' Adebayo has not won the award seven seasons into his career. It's important to note some level of bias is likely coming into play, as Butler is an assistant coach for the Heat.

“When you talk about versatility, when you talk about a two-way defender, I mean, it’s a crime that he hasn’t won Defensive Player of the Year," Butler said.

“You have to get your electrolytes…if you’re going against Bam 🤣”
 
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— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) September 10, 2024

Adebayo earned his fifth consecutive All-Defensive Team selection last season, the first appearance on the top group. The statistics don't compare to those of Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama, as Butler later notes, but the "eye test" is where Adebayo separates.

"With just the observation of the eye test, I know statistically you can look at a lot of things, but when you come to games and you see what he does," Butler said. "How hard individuals have to work and how many calories are burned to get a shot off on Bam. Nothing comes easy."

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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