3. Bam Adebayo: Defensive Player of the Year
This is the one that just makes the most sense. Bam Adebayo has earned a reputation as one of the league’s premier defenders. There's an expectation for big men to stack up blocks to have a chance at this award. Blocks are not what separates Adebayo from the rest of the crowd, though.
His ability to defend at an elite level against positions 1-5 makes him unique on that end of the floor. He has always had great lateral quickness and movement that makes it comfortable for the rest of the team to switch off any opposing player knowing Adebayo can take on any defensive assignment. He is the anchor of a top-five defense for the Heat this season and will continue to do so for years to come.
He earned a spot on this season’s finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year award for the first time in his young career. Although he isn’t considered a favorite, this is a tremendous step in the right direction as a guy poised to come away with the award in the near future.