Despite not having won a Defensive Player of the Year award so far in his NBA career, Heat center Bam Adebayo expressed optimism about his chances next season, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
“I should have won it the last two years, and I will win it this year,” Adebayo told youth campers at a recent Heat clinic.
The 25-year-old has established himself as a versatile defender, enabling Miami to play a switch-heavy defense. He guarded players such as Trae Young, Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid during the Heat’s latest postseason run.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will play for the Greek National Team in this year’s EuroBasket competition, Hellenic Basketball Federation president Vaggelis Liolios confirmed, per Christos Tsaltas (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo also recently hinted at the decision on social media.
- As Tsaltas notes, Bucks assistant coach Josh Oppenheimer will also join the Greek National Team with Antetokounmpo. Oppenheimer has served as an assistant with Milwaukee since 2020 and was part of the team’s championship run last season.
- Magic guard Terrence Ross is enthusiastic about the team’s roster entering next season, as relayed by Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel (video link). While Ross doesn’t know what his future holds with the franchise, it’s clear he thinks highly of Orlando’s young nucleus, which includes No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero.
Like Bam, but could care less about his endless journey to fill his trophy case
The amazing D is always going to be there with that physique. I’d like to see some more night to night consistency on the offensive side of the ball.
Maybe he himself senses it as well thus the numero uno D mantra has to be floated to substantiate his elite status
There is 1 basketball…
My two-cents worth, Bam should just shut-up and bring it ……. everyone knows he’s a worthy DPOY candidate any given year, but the only way that Bam and the HEAT will be given any love by the media, is if they win it all – and an aggressive 2-way Bam is what’s needed.
Love the shut up and dribble guys. Media is constantly praising Miami. You’re insane.
I’d say that Yao & Dirk were both better with China/Germany in FIBA play than Giannis has been in his international career so far. Not much team success for them but they were great individually, especially vs USA. Giannis has been much better recently, specifically the most recent World Cup. Tbh the Greek team was more successful during the Spanoulis generation right before Giannis. And he def had some early struggles in FIBA play. He’s the best basketball player in the world rn tho imo & watching him go against Jokic/Serbia, Luka/Slovenia among others will be a trip to see
we lack the shooters that a player like Giannis need versus stingier European defences
plus Spain and Serbia get all the calls all the time
BA’s focus on winning an individual post season award in a team game isn’t a good look for him, but if that’s his priority, it is. Still, it’s classless to make statements questioning the legitimacy of the actual winners, particularly when speaking with youth campers (whatever that means, I assume they were there for basketball, not to console Bam). If its an award that he believes is so consistently being given to the wrong guy, then why would it be important to him to win it? Supermax? Other paths to that.
Since he got the bag he doesn’t deliver in PO and turned him to a pretencious douche …
Bam arrogance is such an ugly quality, SMH!
If I was you I would work to be more humble and less on my defence!
I’m surprised Herro got 6th man over Kevin Love. The Heat get shafted every year, and the hate and bias against them is extremely strong. This was the first year Bam has had an injury that actually took him out. He had the shoulder problems a couple of years ago, and played through it, even though you saw the effect on his body. The issue is not even being in the top 3. That is disrespectful, and I see why Bam would acknowledge that, even though he is usually just answering questions, and people being salty about that makes no sense and doesnt effect you. Lebron James got robbed of back to back defensive players of the year 10 years ago as well, for reasons that later on helped guys like Kawhi Leonard and Draymond Green win. Its all a crapshoot based on narratives by the media 2 weeks after the season ends