Inside The Heat

Norris Cole Views Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo As Better Defender Than Anthony Davis

Former Miami Heat guard Norris Cole recently claimed that center Bam Adebayo is the best two-way player in the league and better defensively than Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis
Anthony Pasciolla|
Norris Cole Views Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo As Better Defender Than Anthony Davis
Norris Cole Views Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo As Better Defender Than Anthony Davis

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Miami Heat

The Miami Heat drafted a cornerstone in center Bam Adebayo, whose improvements have led a former NBA player to place him above another of the NBA's top big men.

Former Heat guard Norris Cole recently expressed his confidence in Adebayo by ranking him ahead of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis. Cole agreed that Davis has him beat on the offensive end but gave him the upper hand on defense.

"He's the best two-way player in the league. Defensively, I believe he is [better than Davis],” Cole said on the 'Gil's Arena' podcast. “And he assists better, playmake better. He just don’t score better than Anthony Davis. But he shot-blocks just as good if not better. He switches and plays man-to-man defense just better.”

Adebayo appeared in his third All-Star game last weekend, where he was named a starter for the first time in his career. Davis was a reserve for the West in his ninth appearance. The Heat star averages 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds compared to Davis' 24.9 points and 12.2 rebounds.

Adebayo's greatest advantage stems from his versatility on defense. His ability to guard each position sets him apart from the majority of superstars in the league. He is recording 1.1 blocks and one steal per game in 45 appearances. Meanwhile, Davis is often seen guarding the opposing big men, leading to an average of 2.5 blocks.

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat.

He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @anthony.pasciolla.

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Anthony Pasciolla
ANTHONY PASCIOLLA

Anthony Pasciolla is a sports journalist who began covering the NBA in June 2023. A Philadelphia native, Anthony has experience covering the Philadelphia 76ers as a credentialed reporter. He has written for Miami Heat, Back In The Day Hoops, Kansas State Wildcats, and Illinois Fighting Illini on Sports Illustrated. His work also includes 76ers coverage for The Sporting News and previous stories for Athlon Sports and BasketballNews. When he’s not covering the NBA, you can find him spending time with friends and family or diving into the world of fantasy football. Follow him on X @AnthonyPasci or reach him via email at ampasciolla@gmail.com

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