The finalists for the NBA awards were announced on Sunday, and it didn't take long for some big-named snubs to voice their displeasure. Among the notable absences from the Defensive Player of the Year shortlist was Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, who failed to get the nod ahead of Phoenix's Mikal Bridges, Boston's Marcus Smart, or Utah's Rudy Gobert. Speaking candidly, Adebayo blasted the voters for his exclusion as a finalist, before suggesting it was due to the Heat not receiving as many nationally broadcast games as other teams, via Dave McMenamin. 

Adebayo called the voting process “disrespectful,” clearly feeling he's deserving a mention as one of the game's best defensive players. Head coach Erik Spoelstra sang a similar tune, claiming he was “stunned” not to see Adebayo as a finalist for the award.

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Adebayo's hard work on the defensive glass hasn't gone unnoticed by his comrades and fans in Miami, but on a national stage, he feels he hasn't received the necessary exposure to earn the award. He does bring up a good point. Despite ending the year as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, Miami only had 22 nationally televised games. The Suns and Bridges had 33, as did Smart and the Celtics, while Gobert and the Jazz were broadcast for a national audience 26 times.

Whether or not that truly had an impact in the voting remains to be seen, but Adebayo is adamant that if the Heat received the attention they deserved, he'd at least be a finalist for the award.

On the year, Adebayo averaged 19.1 points. 10.1 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. While the defensive counting stats don't jump off the page, his ability to affect shots in the paint and control the defensive glass cannot be understated.