Miami Heat Center Bam Adebayo Is One Of The Most Underappreciated Players In The NBA
When sport pundits talk about underappreciated NBA players, Jalen Brunson and Malcolm Brogdon are usually brought up.
But a case can be made for Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo.
His contributions on the court are constantly undervalued. He may not have the nicest jump shot or best offensive skill set but he’s one of the best defenders in the league. However, he doesn’t always get the respect he deserves for it. Sure, he made the NBA All-Defensive team four times but he has still yet to earn the ultimate defense award which is Defensive Player of the Year. For the past four years, he’s been the runner-up, finishing among the top five spots.
When Jimmy Butler joined the Heat in 2019, they made the playoffs four straight times and made two Finals appearances. Though he led the team, Adebayo was their second best player, averaging a combined 16 points, nine rebounds and one steal. In the Finals last year against the Denver Nuggets, he led the Heat in scoring and rebounding with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
He also makes a huge impact off the court. Right now, the Heat are the frontrunners to trade for Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. But Adebayo had arguably the most influence on their push for him. Not only does Lillard consider Adebayo a close friend but on Aug. 5, a video went viral of Adebayo admitting he hopes to continue his influence on the trade talk.
“Me and Dame do have a connection,” Adebayo said. “We do have a type of brotherhood, but it’s business. Both sides want it to make sense, and I’m not a part of that. The only thing I can do is spread my influence, and me and Dame continue to be close friends.”
It’s clear Adebayo brings a lot of impact to the NBA.
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Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog HERE.
