Heat’s Adebayo named a finalist for NBA Sportsmanship Award
MIAMI — Heat center Bam Adebayo on Tuesday was named one of six finalists for the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award. The award “recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.” One finalist from each division was selected, with Adebayo the choice from the Southeast Division, among the players from the Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and ...
MIAMI — Heat center Bam Adebayo on Tuesday was named one of six finalists for the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award. The award “recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. ” One finalist from each division was selected, with Adebayo the choice from the Southeast Division, among the players from the Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards.
The other finalists are Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (Atlantic Division), Indiana Pacers guard T. J. McConnell (Central), Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Northwest), Golden State Warriors center Al Horford (Pacific) and San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (Southwest).
Players will vote for the winner among the six finalists. The Heat have never had a winner of the award, with Adebayo a finalist in 2021, ’22 and ’23. Other Heat finalists were Kevin Love (2024), Shane Battier (2012), Shaquille O’Neal (2006) and LaPhonso Ellis (2002).
Through his first nine seasons, the season-ending honors already won by Adebayo have been limited to first-team All-Defensive in 2024 and second-team All-Defensive in 2020, ’21, ’22 and ’23. The NBA on Tuesday also announced the 12 finalists for the 2025-26 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, with no Heat players from that finalist pool of six players from each conference. Battier won that award in 2014 while with the Heat, the franchise’s lone recipient.