Getty Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo react to a call during a playoff bout between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Per an announcement from the NBA on Monday, Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. has been recognized as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season. Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo — whose defensive real plus/minus mark of 8.17 ranked second in the Association — finished fifth in the balloting with one first-place vote, two second-place votes and seven third-place votes.
Adebayo is now the only player league-wide to have received a first-place vote after each of the last four seasons. However, “close, but no cigar” has never been the goal for the 2023 All-Star.
During a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Adebayo reaffirmed his belief that he should have won the previous two DPOY trophies, noting his ability to defend positions one through five on the court during the regular season as well as the playoffs. One can only assume how he’s feeling now.
For their part, Heat fans have been particularly surly in the wake of Jackson’s big win, hitting social media in waves to protest the voting results.
Heat Nation Up in Arms Over Bam Adebayo’s Latest DPOY Snub Job
The reaction to Adebayo coming in fifth on Twitter was, well, exactly what one would have expected from Heat fans who have seen their guy get passed over for several years running. In a word, they were displeased.
“These awards aren’t serious anymore. The goal gets moved every year based on different narratives pushed,” tweeted one fan.
“I stopped taking dpoy serious when they gave it to smart, nba never gon show bam the respect he deserves,” wrote another dissenter.
“Draymond Green getting 16 more #DPOY votes than Bam Adebayo is the strongest argument for election integrity I’ve seen,” joked a third commenter, who also dropped the obligatory #stopthesteal hashtag.
“Bam finished top 5 in DPOY voting every year since becoming a full time starter. Very special stuff but we need the trophy,” demanded another Heat fan.
Lack of trophy notwithstanding, Adebayo’s defensive chops were on full display during Game 1 of Miami’s first-round playoff series against Milwaukee. Bucks players went just 6-of-15 from the floor and committed three turnovers on individual possessions where they were guarded by the Heat pivot.
Elsewhere in the DPOY balloting, Heat cornerstone Jimmy Butler received a single third-place vote.
Adebayo May Have Been Hurt By Heat’s Shrinking, Late-Season D
While DPOY is an individual honor, one has to wonder whether Miami’s late-season drop-off on that end of the floor affected the vote in any way. After boasting one of the game’s best defensive fronts for much of the campaign, the Heat were routinely shredded in games played after the All-Star break.
From February 15 (the game just before the ASG recess) to their regular-season finale, Miami conceded a whopping 117.6 points per 100 possessions, a mark that ranked just 23rd in the NBA. Over that same stretch, their defensive field-goal percentage checked in at 49.6% (26th best) and opponents made 13.4 triples per contest (25th).
There’s also this curious number: over the entirety of the season, the Heat were only 0.4 points per 100 possessions better defensively with Adebayo on the floor compared to when he sat.
We’re cherry-picking numbers here, of course, but these stats certainly weren’t ones that helped Adebayo’s DPOY case.