Miami Heat: 5 reasons Bam Adebayo was a good pick
By Frank Urbina
2. Adebayo has game-changing ability to defend guards
Arguably the biggest skill a big man can possess in the modern NBA is a propensity to ably switch onto guards on the perimeter when facing a pick-and-roll.
Whiteside isn’t great at it per se, but did have a huge moment this season doing just that:
On Apr. 8 against the Washington Wizards, with the game on the line and Miami’s playoff hopes teetering, Whiteside switched onto Bradley Beal after an effective Marcin Gortat screen set the Wiz 2-guard free of Tyler Johnson. Whiteside used his exceptional athleticism to latch onto the sharpshooter and block his game-tying attempt from three, securing a Heat win in the process.
With how pick-and-roll-dependent the NBA is today, that exact type of play happens multiple times a night. The league’s best defenses are able to stop them by playing wings in traditional big men spots (Draymond Green, anyone?) and switching everything on the perimeter.
One other way to counter pick-and-roll-heavy offenses is by playing agile centers who can survive on switches, and punish opponents for going small by crashing the glass, much like Tristan Thompson did to the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals.
What gives one hope about Adebayo’s pro prospects is that at Kentucky, he showed an ability to defend smaller, quicker players when the situation called for it.
Furthermore, consider that Adebayo was also one of the best offensive rebounders in the country last year and you have the makings of a potential stud big man — and one that should thrive in the modern game.