Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo didn’t mince words after learning he wasn’t one of three finalists for NBA defensive player of the year.
Utah center Rudy Gobert, Boston guard Marcus Smart and Phoenix forward Mikal Bridges were the finalists. Smart won overall honors.
“I feel like I can do anything that two out of the three can do. I mean, I can’t teach height,” Adebayo said, referring to 7-foot-1 Gobert. “But they all three play on TV more than me. So I would expect that.”
Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra was “stunned.”
He added, “I don’t know what people are watching.”
– Joe Henderson, Extensive Enterprises Media