Bam Adebayo says it's 'disrespectful' he's not Defensive Player of the Year finalist

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo wasn't happy to hear that he doesn't have a chance at being named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and he thinks television coverage is to blame.

On Sunday, the NBA announced Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns, Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz and Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics are the three finalists for the award.

"Disrespectful," Adebayo said of the news, via ESPN. "I feel like I can do anything that two out of three can do. Besides, I mean, I can't teach height. But they all three play on TV more than me. So I would expect that. They get more TV games and they get more exposure. People like to talk about them more. Don't nobody want to talk about us. So, it's whatever at that point."

Adebayo, 24, earned Second Team All-Defensive Team honors in the last two seasons and anchored a Heat defense that allowed the fourth fewest points in the NBA this season. While statistics to support Adebayo deserving the award more than Bridges, Gobert, or Smart are tough to find, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says it's about more than what shows up on the box score.

"Just watch any one of our games," Spoelstra said via the same ESPN article. "You have a defensive system that's built around his toughness and versatility. And it's not a cliché, it's not just a thing you throw out there that he can literally guard one through five. You can count on one hand how many guys that you can legitimately say that can compete on the ball one through five at all five positions. And he's at the very top of that list. That's unique unto itself."

Spoelstra was named a finalist for NBA Coach of the Year and Heat guard Tyler Herro is an overwhelming favorite to be named Sixth Man of the Year.