Erik Spoelstra said that he was “stunned.”
I wrote a week ago that — based off the NBA media figures who had already released their picks for Defensive Player of the Year — Bam Adebayo appeared to be an underdog to win the award. Now we know that Marcus Smart won the award. Adebayo did not finish in the top three for the award, just as what happened last season.
Bam Adebayo finished fourth in DPOY voting and actually had more first-place votes than third-place Rudy Gobert. pic.twitter.com/yaAq4JkEO1
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) April 18, 2022
On the other hand, Tyler Herro was a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year, and Erik Spoelstra is a finalist for Coach of the Year.
For those who prefer picture form: pic.twitter.com/AToJu97CTI
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 17, 2022
Spoelstra said that he was “stunned” Adebayo is not a finalist. Adebayo himself called it “disrespectful” and said that the snub is at the top of his chip-on-the-shoulder list. He also pointed to the lack of national TV games for the Heat this season as a reason for him not making the cut.
Bam Adebayo on not being a DPOY finalist: It’s disrespectful. I feel like I can do anything that two out of the three can do. I can’t teach height. All three play on TV more than me. They get more exposure. No one wants to talk about us. pic.twitter.com/bE7pVaZdjM
— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) April 18, 2022
“I’m just really stunned that Bam Adebayo is not a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year” – Heat coach Erik Spoelstra opens his post-practice media session Monday be lamenting the voting for DPOY
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 18, 2022
As I said before, the one mark against the Miami Heat’s 2017 first-round pick is the fact that injuries limited him to 56 games played. But Rudy Gobert, who is a finalist for the award after having won it three of the past four seasons, also played 56 games when he won the award in 2018.