The NBA announced today the first and second All-Defensive Teams, and the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo was named to the 2026 NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Bam Adebayo has been named to an NBA All-Defensive Team six times in his career. His defensive awards include:
2025-26 NBA All-Defensive teams:
First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert, Derrick White
Second team: Bam Adebayo, Scottie Barnes, Cason Wallace, Dyson Daniels,
OG Anunoby— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 22, 2026
- First Team: 1 time (2024)
- Second Team: 5 times (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2026)
Bam Continues To Build Defensive Legacy
Bam Adebayo also finished 11th in the Defensive Player of the Year voting and has said that, aside from an NBA championship, his ultimate goal is to win this award. Bam has been a very consistent defender, and his impact on that end of the floor is immeasurable. He has been the defensive anchor and backbone, and one of the few players in the league who can truly guard all five positions.
Bam Still Represents Heat Culture
Defense has always been Bam Adebayo’s calling card. Bam impacts winning in so many ways, and a lot of those do not even show up on the box score. His versatility is unmatched, his perimeter defense is great, and he can also protect the rim and guard in transition.
Even though the Miami Heat had a disappointing year, Bam continued to anchor a competitive defense while talking on the toughest assignment on a nightly basis. Not to mention Bam also averaged 20 points and 10 reboiunds per game on the offensive end.
Bam’s latest accomplishment is a testament to his work ethic and his desire to be a great two-way player. The Heat have built a culture around hard work, toughness, and conditioning, and Bam excused all of that.
Bam is also just 28 years old, and he already has six All-Defensive selections and continues to play at an elite level on that end of the floor. Miami may be entering a huge offseason filled with trade rumors and speculation surrounding the roster, but one thing remains clear: Bam Adebayo is still the foundation of the franchise.
What’s Next for Bam?
Next up for Bam Adebayo is hopefully a Defensive Player of the Year award. He has openly talked about his frustrations with not winning the award in the past. He believes in himself and that his versatility and overall defensive impact are sometimes overlooked in favor of players who stack up steals and blocks. Nonetheless, this was a great day for Bam Adebayo, and hopefully, winning the DPOY award is in the near future.
