Bam Adebayo has been a cornerstone for the Miami Heat since his breakout season in 2020, even though he doesn't always get his flowers. But from a big man's perspective, Bam's defensive skill set, specifically, is one that almost every other frontcourt player in the league desires to have.
When discussing the best defenders in the NBA, NBA writer Sam Vecenie ranked Bam at No. 7 and labeled him as the "most switchable big man in the NBA." If you've watched the Heat closely over the last few years, Vecenie couldn't have been more right with his assessment.
I'd argue that Bam should be ranked slightly higher than just the seventh-best defender in the league, but I suppose that's a different conversation for another day. But the fact is, Bam is truly invaluable to the Heat because of what he can do on the defensive end of the floor.
Why Bam is so valuable to the Heat
As Vecenie outlines, Bam is not just arguably the most switchable big man in the league, but he should be in the conversation for the best overall defensive player, too. The versatility that he brings to the Heat on that end of the floor is so valuable to a team that has so little it can consistently rely on.
If nothing else, Miami knows what it's going to get from Bam, especially on the defensive end of the floor. And that's what makes him so valuable to the Heat.
Bam can switch on guards, shadow on the perimeter, and even protect the paint. He can effectively defend every position on the floor and is a big reason why the Heat are able to scheme so many defensive looks every night. He's asked to make up for some of the inconsistencies from the Heat's guards on that end of the floor, and does so without missing a beat. Bam is everything a team should want in a foundational big man.
Unfortunately, his versatility on the defensive end is not always reflected on the stat sheet, and it's one of the bigger reasons why he's one of the most undervalued players in the league. It may not be from anyone inside the Heat organization, but there's no question he's overlooked at times by many of the national media.
And that's what Bam is able to do on the offensive end of the floor aside. Bam is not just a defensive specialist for the Heat, and that's part of what makes him so great.
In what has been labeled as a "down" year offensively for the Bam, he still managed to average 18 points and four assists per game on 49 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range. That's better than most at the position and speaks to how much greatness is expected from Bam on both ends of the floor.
Bam doesn't always get his due credit, but there's no question he has to be considered one of the best big men in the NBA. While it's easy to focus on what he's able to do defensively, let's not forget just how good a player he can also be offensively.
Bam is everything you want in a big man. It's time the rest of the league realizes that.