The Heat big man has certainly made a case for himself this season, but will it be enough?
Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo is currently on the award media tour, making his case for the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and he’s done a damn good case making it on the floor this season as well.
In the 56 games this season that Bam’s played (his injury earlier this season seems to be what’s really limiting him for the award), Bam has averaged 0.8 blocks and 1.2 steals. According to Cleaning the Glass, Bam ranks in the 94th percentile in steal percentage, and the 80th percentile in defensive rebounds per game.
It’s also no secret that his ability to switch onto any player has resulted in many Miami Heat wins this season. But you can hear that from the man himself:
Bam currently sits at +500 on DraftKings, putting him only behind Marcus Smart who seems to be the betting favorite at -250. Rudy Gobert who is generally the favorite in most discussions is only a +900. So if Vegas has anything to say about it, Bam might very well be walking away with some award hardware but that remains to be seen.
What do you think Heat nation, does Bam deserve the award?
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