Bam Adebayo 2023-24 NBA Fantasy Outlook: Projecting Heat All-Star’s performance this season

Bam Adebayo is coming off his second trip to the NBA Finals over the past four years. He and Jimmy Butler are the cornerstones of a Miami team that went from the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference to challenge the Denver Nuggets for the title last season.

When it comes to fantasy basketball, Bam Adebayo should be considered one of the best draft options, thanks to his elite play on both ends. Last season, the versatile big man averaged 20.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 3.2 apg and 1.2 spg, on 54.0 percent from the field and 80.6 percent from the free-throw line.

At the same time, his defensive performance was one of the main reasons for the Heat having the second-best defense in the league, allowing 109.8 ppg.

A two-time All-Star (2020, 2023), Adebayo had an average of 35.5 fantasy points last season for a total of 2,659 points in 75 games. His fantasy projection for the 2023 season is 76 games with an average of 33.5 fantasy points for 2,569.

Yahoo Sports and Nick Whalen of RotoWire consider him the best option in Round 3 of the draft with an ADP (average draft position) of 32.3, so he should be a decent option for fantasy players.

Regarding his fantasy outlook, he is No. 5 at his position when it comes to his ranking in the draft, based on ECR (Expert Consensus Ranking). Meanwhile, Fantasypros ranks him between No. 6 (best) and No. 10 (worst).

Given that his only weakness remains his low three-point percentage, at just 8.3 percent last season, Bam Adebayo has been a complete big man and one of the best two-way players in the league.

The only thing missing, aside from claiming his first NBA championship, is a Defensive Player of the Year award.

Bam Adebayo should 'get recognized' for his elite defense, says Heat coach Erik Spoelstra

Bam Adebayo has been in the conversation for the best defender in the league over the past four years but has never won the award, losing to Rudy Gobert, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaren Jackson Jr., respectively.

He has made it to the All-Defensive Second Team in four straight years (2020-2023), but hasn't won the DPOY award yet.

His coach in Miami, Erik Spoelstra, disagrees with Bam Adebayo's place in the DPOY voting results and wants to see his player claim the award. Spoelstra told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald:

"That one is just unbelievable to me. I think Bam is the best defensive player in the league and I just can't understand why he's not recognized for how impactful he is on that end of the court. So he's just going to have to prove it again and just do it this year until everybody notices.

"I think he just has to be who he is, do what he does and just be that dynamic force on that end of the court. Then I think he's going to get recognized for that and hopefully we'll have a great defense this year and he leads us on that end of the court."

Bam Adebayo and the Heat, who have their sights set on a second straight trip to the NBA Finals, will kick off their 2023-24 campaign with a home game vs the Detroit Pistons.