On a recent episode of "The OGs" podcast, Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller invited NBA Insider Shams Charania to discuss how he got into the industry, why Kobe Bryant was his GOAT, and who he voted for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
During the episode, Mike Miller asked Charania if he voted for Rudy Gobert as Defensive Player of the Year. Charania admitted that he did vote for Gobert... and Haslem was not happy.
"Who the f*** you know at the 5 that can start the game off on Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. We started Bam on JB in one game, and JT in the playoffs. Name another 5 that do that," Haslem told Charania.
Shams admits he voted for Rudy Gobert for DPOY over Bam Adebayo.
Charania then said he voted for Bam Adebyao for his all-defensive team.
To Haslem's point, I've always thought Gobert was a bit overrated defensively. In today's NBA, the more versatile, the better.
With so many wings in today's game who can score, teams need guys like Adebayo who can defend on the perimeter and at the rim. No doubt that Gobert is elite at protecting the rim, but he struggles on the perimeter.
Adebayo has remarked that the national media has a hard time understanding his impact on defense, and this exchange between Haslem and Charania shows that.
Haslem claims the Heat get overlooked because they aren’t “sexy enough.”
“The last four or five years it’s been (Miami) or Boston," Haslem said.
Again, Haslem is right. Miami rarely gets the same credit or attention from the national media as compared to the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat are an afterthought.
I get that this last season was rough for the Heat, but Haslem has been saying this for the last few years, when only the Celtics have as many Finals appearances as the Heat.