The league announced the three finalists for the defensive player award over the weekend and Bam Adebayo wasn’t among the trio.
“Disrespectful,” Adebayo said of not being included as a finalist (via ESPN). “I feel like I can do anything that two out of the three can do. Besides, I mean, I can’t teach height. But they all three play on TV more than me. So I would expect that. They get more TV games and they get more exposure. People like to talk about them more. Don’t nobody want to talk about us. So, it’s whatever at that point.”
Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges, and Rudy Gobert were deemed the finalists for the award.
“I’m just really stunned that Bam is not a finalist,” Coach Erik Spoelstra said after practice Monday. “I don’t know what people are watching. And he’s played in enough games, so I don’t want that as an excuse, either.”
Watch the NBA Playoffs on fuboTV
- Get your free trial to fuboTV where you can watch live sports, movies and so much more!
The Heat rose to the top of the Eastern Conference behind the league’s fourth-best defense during the 2021-22 campaign. Adebayo, who won a Gold Medal with Team USA this past summer, suited up in just 56 games for Miami this year (compared to 71 for Smart, 82 for Bridges, and 66 for Gobert).
“Just watch any one of our games,” Spoelstra continued. “You have a defensive system that’s built around his toughness and versatility. And it’s not a cliché, it’s not just a thing you throw out there that he can literally guard 1 through 5. You can count on one hand in his association of 450 how many guys that you can legitimately say that can compete on the ball 1 through 5 at all five positions. And he’s at the very top of that list. That’s unique unto itself.”
Special Betting Offer From PointsBet
- Offer: Two risk-free bets up to $2,000
- States: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Iowa
- Promo code: MVPBET (T&C Apply)
Special Betting Offer From Fubo Sportsbook
- Offer: One risk-free bet up to $1,000 + one month of free FuboTV.
- States: Arizona, Iowa
- Promo code: MVPBET (T&C Apply).
