"It’s a crime" - Miami Heat coach points out unfairness of Bam Adebayo's empty DPOY cabinet
Miami Heat assistant coach Caron Butler could not believe that resident All-Star big man Bam Adebayo has not won a Defensive Player of the Year award. This is even if he has proven that he can be a handful on the defensive end regardless of position.
The former player-turned-coach shared his thoughts in an interview on Tuesday with SiriusXM NBA Radio, saying it was unfair how that the incoming eight-year NBA veteran has not been recognized accordingly with the top defensive player of the year recognition.
Butler said:
"When you talk about versatility. When you talk about two-way defender. I mean, it's a crime that [Adebayo] hasn't won Defensive Player of the Year. That's with just the observation, the eye test. I know statistically you can look at different things but he's top five on all that stuff, too. But when you come to the games and see what he do and how hard individuals have to work [against him] ... Nothing comes easy against Bam ... He's just different..."
Check out what Butler had to say below:
Bam Adebayo has been a steady fixture in the All-NBA Defensive Team since 2020, breaking through last season as he was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team for the first time after averaging 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks in 71 games.
He finished third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves and runner-up Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
Apart from Gobert and Wembanyama, joining Adebayo in the All-NBA Defensive First Team were New Orleans Pelicans' Herbert Jones and LA Lakers' Anthony Davis.
Bam Adebayo admits disappointment over DPOY award snub
The center said that there is some disappointment on his end as the NBA's DPOY award continues to elude him. He believes that with what he brings to the table he should have won a couple already in his first seven years in the NBA.
The No. 14 overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Kentucky spoke about it in July while preparing with Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics (via Yahoo Sports):
"That's one thing that irks me, it's not my fault I'm versatile. I've been top five in DPOY voting the last five years, there's been guys y'all [media] been giving it over me." Adebayo said.
"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. The goalposts move for me, in certain degress. It's me and a lot of undrafted dudes, and we still have a top-five defense," he added.
Do you think Bam Adebayo deserves to win a Defensive Player of the Year award? Should he have already won one by now? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.