Bam Adebayo has long been one of the NBA’s most versatile and respected defenders — a walking mismatch who can switch 1 through 5, anchor a defense, and do it all without demanding the spotlight. But despite years of elite play, he still finds himself on the outside looking in when it comes to the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. In a recent conversation, Bam got real about that snub, what he’s learned from Team USA’s biggest stars, and how his journey from Newark to North Carolina shaped everything about his work ethic, mentality, and commitment to the game.
On Getting Skipped Over for NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Year after year, Adebayo’s name surfaces in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, yet he’s never walked away with the trophy. For Bam, it’s not about talent — it’s about politics. And he’s not afraid to say it.
“Uhh… Politics, you know? You can’t really help it,” Adebayo said. “Some dudes have power over the media and some dudes don’t. But in my case, we can’t really voice for it if we’re in the 10th spot. Now if we’re in the 3rd spot or 4th spot? You could say something.”
It’s a raw truth that many players feel, but few say out loud. Adebayo’s issue isn’t just with the voting — it’s with how much campaigning seems to go into winning what should be a merit-based award.
“I’ve tried to — I ain’t gonna say beg — but try to showcase and try to put yourself out there, and to me, it’s just too much,” he added. “If I have to go through media outlets and do all this to get somebody to give me Defensive Player of the Year, I’m cool.”
And when asked who he thinks should win it?
“I don’t know. I’m gonna say myself but, like I said, it’s hard to say me when we’re in the 10th spot.”
It’s clear: Bam knows his value. He just refuses to let validation be dictated by narrative.
On Learning from the Game’s Best at the Olympics
Adebayo was part of the 2024 Olympic team that brought home gold, and the experience of sharing that moment — and that locker room — with the game’s elite left a lasting impression.
“‘Bron and Steph,” he said. “I’ve been on the Olympics with KD, Jrue [Holiday], you know? Most of the guys were on the 2020 Team. So just being around ‘Bron and Steph.”
It wasn’t just the on-court brilliance that stood out — it was the way these stars carry themselves day in and day out.
“Longevity,” Bam explained when asked what he took from the experience. “How to take care of their bodies and obviously the media portrays them in a different way, they’re really down to earth people.”
Those lessons have become part of Bam’s own approach — not just how to dominate now, but how to last.
On Growth, Leadership & What He’s Learned This Season
This season has had its ups and downs, but Bam has found personal clarity in the chaos. It’s not just about stats or accolades. It’s about loyalty and responsibility.
“What I’ve learned about myself? Refusing to give up the fight,” he said. “Through thick and thin, I’m still going to be with my guys; and also what I learned about me is that it’s not about me as captain.”
That statement says it all — Bam sees leadership not as a title, but as a commitment. To his teammates. To the work. To showing up even when the results don’t go your way.
On Jimmy Butler and Media Misconceptions
The NBA world loves a narrative, and few players are as polarizing as Jimmy Butler. But Bam chose to keep it respectful when asked about how the public perceives his former teammate.
“Uhhh… Considering that he’s not my teammate no more, I’m not really going to speak on that, but I feel like that he’s… different.”
A pause. A moment. And a choice to let silence say what words couldn’t.
On Falling in Love with the Game
Like many players, Adebayo didn’t start hooping thinking he’d be an All-Star. But a growth spurt and a little faith from his mom helped him find his path — even when the game didn’t come naturally at first.
“I would say probably in the 7th grade. Just realizing that I grew to a crazy height and it was something that I just started developing,” he recalled. “Thank God they put me in AAU Basketball because of my mom and that helped me love the game truly.”
The beginnings were humble — and honest.
“When you first start, you’re fuckin’ terrible,” he laughed. “But just gaining that momentum and trying to be great.”
On Growing Up in Newark and the Move That Changed Everything
Before the league, before Kentucky, before even high school stardom — there was Newark. And for Adebayo, it was a place filled with hard lessons.
“I mean specifically from where I was from there were gang initiations, street fights… I mean, just the whole nine,” he said. “So for me what I remember was a bad situation and my mom moved me out to the country to actually go outside.”
That move — from New Jersey to North Carolina — changed the course of his life.
“North Carolina really gave me time to understand that I gotta find shit to do,” he said. “You in the country and it gave me time to really focus on basketball; it wasn’t like I had to do anything different, but you realize how different the city is in the country.”
The Bottom Line: No Excuses, No Campaigning — Just Work
Bam Adebayo isn’t chasing headlines. He’s not begging for flowers. Whether it’s an Olympic gold medal, an All-Star nod, or the DPOY trophy that continues to elude him, Bam’s focus remains the same — doing it the right way.
Because in a league full of noise, Bam Adebayo is staying grounded in his truth — and betting on the long game.
