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In 64 NBA games last season for the Miami Heat, Bam Adebayo averaged 19 points, nine rips and five assists. Bam Adebayo, the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, was a first time NBA All-Star in 2019-20, and with more offensive and defensive support this year, Bam Adebayo will command much attention from the opposition. With excellent leaders like Jimmy Butler, PJ Tucker and Kyle Lowry in support, this could be the year Bam Adebayo truly comes into his own and wins NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Bam Adebayo the defender
With a defensive rating of 108.3 last season, it was evident in his rookie year that Bam Adebayo would be a true defender in the NBA. His defensive rating sits at 9th in the NBA, and with another year under his belt, look for that number to decrease in the positive.
The Miami Heat are a squad
The additions of Kyle Lowry, PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris gives the Miami Heat a toughness and an advantage over most NBA teams with that toughness. Imagine Kyle Lowry bringing the ball up as the Miami Heat get into their offensive set and Lowry having an embarrassment of riches to give the ball to. In the middle of the floor with a 7'1" wingspan, Bam Adebayo awaits, and after a Jimmy Butler bucket, Bam Adebayo streaks down the floor to block a shot at the rim, gather the ball, start the break, and dishes to Duncan Robinson for the three pointer off the left elbow. That's just one of the many sequences the Miami Heat will surely execute in 2021-22.
The Miami Heat are a darkhorse to come out of the Eastern Conference. They have a scary roster, possibly the best coach in the NBA, an ambitious Pat Riley at the top, and the dream of returning to the NBA Finals in tow. I'm seeing this squad in the Finals for some reason, and maybe that mindset has Bam Adebayo's young versatility in mind. With that said, here are three things he can do to gun for the DPOY award this season.
#3 Keep learning
A player as gifted athletically as Bam Adebayo merely has to study to gain the advantage of all his physical faculties. Getting to the spot before the opposition instinctively is the key, and only repetition will move his fast twitch muscle memory into position to block a shot, deflect passes and make steals to disrupt the rhythm of the opposition whenever he's on the floor. Erik Spolestra is known for running tight practices, and following the formidable reign of Pat Riley, the Miami Heat braintrust will ensure Bam Adebayo continues to learn and mature.
#2 Follow the lead
When the Miami Heat acquired Kyle Lowry, heads turned. The bad taste of falling short the year before gave the Miami Heat a charge to get decidedly better. Lowry's leadership combined with the same of Jimmy Butler will calm the young players on the Heat in the most crucial moments. This leadership will contagiously give those young players an edge either with the stars that are on the bench or after many instances give them confidence through the repetition. Erik Spolestra has been there, and his commitment to excellence learned through Pat Riley will only serve as a definitive example for Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to follow. There will be more pressure on Bam Adebayo this season, and the Miami Heat will win or lose when it matters most depending on the defense on the interior anchored by Bam Adebayo.
#1 Assert himself
You keep doing things, and you will be better at them. A slide of the foot here or an extension of the forearm there, and Bam Adebayo made another play. He will be a favorite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year for obvious reasons, and if Bam Adebayo consistently grows better by the second, as he appears to be, he will be highly regarded for the award. Every starter with the exception of Tyler Herro is a known defender. PJ Tucker will be an undersized power forward on the floor next to Bam Adebayo, and will look for many blocks off to help a defense that will start the break. It's all about confidence in himself and making sure he's in position to not pick up silly fouls and lock down the opposing center or power forward. He has done everything expected of him, and as he begins to hit his NBA prime, awards like NBA Defensive Player of the Year are only the beginning.
Guess the Lakers players!
