Heat’s Adebayo selected first-team NBA All-Defensive for first time, joining Zo, LeBron

Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo at a defensive defining moment, with NBA naming its annual All-Defensive teams.

MIAMI – Bam Adebayo felt he made a leap. Instead he’ll have to settle for a stride forward when it comes to appreciation for his defensive prowess.

After coming up short as a finalist for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the Miami Heat big man on Tuesday was named first-team NBA All-Defensive for the first time in his seven-year career.

Unlike the financial windfall that would have accompanied being named Defensive Player of the Year, namely eligibility therefore for a supermax extension this offseason, Tuesday instead stands as a matter of pride for the anchor of Erik Spoelstra’s defense

After finishing third for Defensive Player of the Year behind Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and runner-up Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, Adebayo benefited by this year’s change to positionless selection of the league’s two All-Defensive teams in the weighted media balloting that was completed prior to the playoffs.

In addition to Gobert, Wembayama and Adebayo, also named to first-team NBA All-Defensive on Tuesday were Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis and New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones.

Adebayo becomes the third player in the Heat’s 36 seasons to make first-team All-Defensive, with center Alonzo Mourning selected in 1999 and 2000, and forward LeBron James selected in 2011, ’12 and ’13. He also became the first player in the franchise’s 36 seasons to make five All-Defensive teams.

Heat forward Jimmy Butler, a second-team All-Defensive selection in 2021, was ineligible because of the league’s newly instituted  requirement for postseason awards of appearances in at least 65 of the regular season’s 82 games. Butler appeared in only 60, Adebayo in 71.

Named second-team NBA All-Defensive on Tuesday were Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, Celtics guard Derrick White, Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels.

Adebayo was named on 95 of the 99 media ballots, with 73 first-team votes. No other Heat player received votes.

Adebayo had been a second-team selection in the position-specific balloting the previous four years. Other Heat second-team NBA All-Defensive selections were P.J. Brown (1997, ‘ 99), Bruce Bowen (2001), Dwyane Wade (2005, ’09. ’10), James (’14) and Hassan Whiteside (2016).

The Heat closed this past regular season with the NBA’s fifth-ranked defense.

Spoelstra said during the season it has been a matter of time for the appreciation of Adebayo’s nuanced defense that transcends blocked shots and steals.

“He just has to keep on being exceptional on that side of the floor, getting more people to understand how unique and impactful he is on that side of the floor,” Spoelstra said. “Sometimes it’s clear to people, sometimes people need to learn the intricacies of it.

“Our team defense was very good this year. He was a major part of that. And his ability to do things that help your defense be at an elite level that are not obvious, that are not just the basic shot-blocking or protecting the rim. It’s being able to do multiple coverages, being able to guard one through five and do it consistently every single night against the very best.”

Adebayo’s last chance to become eligible for a supermax extension comes Wednesday when the NBA at 8 p.m. names the three All-NBA teams. Selection to any of those units for the first time would qualify Adebayo for the largest possible extension.

Miami Heat players who have made NBA All-Defensive teams over the franchise’s 36 seasons:

First Team

Alonzo Mourning, 1998-99

Alonzo Mourning, 1999-00

LeBron James, 2010-11

LeBron James, 2011-12

LeBron James, 2012-13

Bam Adebayo, 2023-24

Second Team

P.J. Brown, 1996-97

P.J. Brown, 1998-99

Bruce Bowen, 2000-01

Dwyane Wade, 2004-05

Dwyane Wade, 2008-09

Dwyane Wade, 2009-10

LeBron James, 2013-14

Hassan Whiteside, 2015-16

Bam Adebayo, 2019-20

Bam Adebayo, 2020-21

Jimmy Butler, 2020-21

Bam Adebayo, 2021-22

Bam Adebayo, 2022-23