Bam Adebayo's Late Push for Defensive Player of the Year

For years, Bam Adebayo has been one of the NBA’s most versatile defenders, yet he’s never won the DPOY award. His best opportunity was in 2002, but Boston’s Marcus Smart won the award that year. Bam was in the conversation, but he felt like he was being overlooked. As the 2025-26 season enters its final stretch, Adebayo is once again reminding the league why he belongs in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion.

I can’t imagine Bam winning the award this season, but the numbers don’t lie; he is having one of the most impactful defensive seasons in his career.

Miami’s Defense Starts With Bam

The Miami Heat are currently fourth in the NBA in defensive rating. Defense has always been the Heat’s strong suit, and Bam is the reason why. When Adebayo is on the floor, Miami’s defense functions at an elite level. When he’s off the floor or unavailable, the drop-off is noticeable. Miami is on track to finish with a top-10 defensive rating for the eighth time in Adebayo’s nine NBA seasons.

What makes this season even more impressive is the context. Because of injuries throughout the roster, the Heat have used 19 different starting lineups this season. Despite the constant changes, Miami has still maintained one of the league’s best defenses. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra believes that level of consistency speaks directly to Adebayo’s impact.

Bill Simmons on why he is picking the Heat to finish 6th or be one of the teams to make it out of the play in:

“Did you see the Houston game? Until that game, I thought this wasn’t gonna be the year for them. They had a little feistiness in that game. We always see around now,… pic.twitter.com/Q153t9IAnh
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) March 4, 2026

The Numbers Back It Up

This season:

Adebayo ranks in the 97th percentile in estimated defensive plus-minus
He ranks 10th in the NBA in defensive win shares
He currently holds the sixth-best defensive rating in the entire league

And recently, he has taken things to another level. In February, Adebayo posted a defensive rating of 99.7, which ranked first in the NBA. He has somehow been even better to start March, posting an incredible 82.2 defensive rating, the best mark in the league during that span. For a player who defends every position on the floor and anchors Miami’s defensive system, those numbers are difficult to ignore.

The Case for Recognition

Despite those numbers, Adebayo knows the Defensive Player of the Year race often favors traditional rim protectors who rack up blocks. According to the Miami Herald, he recently addressed that perception when discussing the award.

“I do think I deserve to be All-Defensive team, first team. We got a top-four defense, so that is the level of DPOY. So yeah, the numbers don't lie,” Adebayo said.

“From my peers and the people who play against me and understand that you’ve got to put me in the corner, so I don’t mess up your offensive schemes, that’s what matters more… that’s real in basketball. A lot of people who are doing surveys wouldn’t know that. They just think because, ‘Oh, he’s a DPOY because he has five blocks a game.’”

Bam Adebayo believes he deserves credit for the Heat having a top-5 defense in the NBA and says the media only looks at blocks per game when determining DPOY

“I do think I deserve to be All-Defensive team, first team. We got a top-four defense, so that is the level of DPOY. So… pic.twitter.com/0yem3vRTZg
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 4, 2026

Unlike traditional defensive centers, his value comes from versatility. He switches onto guards, hedges pick-and-rolls, protects the rim, and communicates defensive coverages. Few defenders in the league are asked to do as much.

If Not DPOY, Then All-Defense

Whether Adebayo ultimately receives serious Defensive Player of the Year votes remains to be seen. The award often becomes a narrative-driven race, and other candidates may already have momentum. But one thing should be clear.

If Adebayo doesn’t win Defensive Player of the Year, he absolutely deserves to return to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team. After missing an All-Defensive selection last season for the first time since 2019, Adebayo has responded by anchoring one of the league’s best defenses again. For the Miami Heat, that impact has never been in question. As the season enters its final stretch, Bam Adebayo is once again proving why he remains one of the most important defenders in basketball.