The Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler was All-NBA Third Team, but he was it. This only means that Bam Adebayo was robbed.
As Miami Heat fans, we all have seen the strides that Bam Adebayo has made this year. This was apparent with him becoming a first-time All-Star, as well as becoming an All-defensive second-teamer.
To add to his already stunning accolades this season, he gave it a bit of flair by winning the NBA All-Star Weekend skills challenge this year. Miami Heat fans and it seems to me, die-hard NBA fans knew that Adebayo was deserving of an All-Star appearance but the joy sadly ends there when it comes to Adebayo.
It all started when Adebayo was snubbed for the NBA’s MIP ( Most Improved Player) Award, which went to the New Orleans Pelicans’, Brandon Ingram. I can totally understand why Ingram won the award over Adebayo, but, in my opinion, a top-five overall pick in the NBA Draft shouldn’t be allowed to win such an award, but I digress.
For Rudy Gobert to be picked over Adebayo for the All NBA Third team, it’s just laughable. To be frank, the “National Media” should be ashamed of themselves over that pick.
To me, it’s an easy pick, and what I mean by an “easy” pick is that it’s a lazy pick. This year, Adebayo’s full skill set has been on display with his playmaking, ball handling, defensive versatility, and a ton of other skills.
The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo lost out on an All-NBA Team to… Rudy Gobert?
I mean, the list could go on and on with the leaps that Adebayo has taken this season. When it comes to Gobert, he hasn’t gotten much better and I don’t want to see any nonsense metrics, saying that he is ranked this or that on defense and offense.
Has Gobert improved offensively? No, he hasn’t.
He can’t really post up or create his own shot. Offensively, he is a rim runner or a dive man on the pick and roll, which is fine as Gobert is still a good player don’t get me wrong but stop it.
Look, I get it, he is a really good shot blocker and help-side defender, but this year I didn’t see him improve that much. I simply thought he wasn’t that good this year. Not All-NBA Team selection over Bam Adebayo good.
Gobert isn’t a top-fifteen player, he is just not. With just how the voting has gone this year, you can tell the media really doesn’t know much about Adebayo’s game, let alone how good the Miami Heat have been as a whole this year.
I can just hear it now, “well I haven’t really watched Miami this year, but I heard that Bam kid is pretty good… but I know Gobert is pretty good”. That is how some writers view awards, as not all voters actually watch the games if you ever get the chance to listen to them talk.
Hopefully, Adebayo uses this as motivation for this current playoff run and also for next season. Adebayo is a rising star in the league and one with absolutely no celling.
Adebayo is trending upward. Fast.
While Gobert’s game hasn’t seemingly been greatly improved. That’s why especially when you consider the fact that Bam Adebayo lost out on the All-NBA Third Team to him, Bam was clearly robbed.