![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Screenshot-4-28-7.25PM.jpg\")
(Mandatory Credit: Eric Espada\/NBAE via Getty Images)<\/p>\n(Mandatory Credit: Eric Espada\/NBAE via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Bam Adebayo has developed into one of the best centers in the NBA over his eight-year career. Though the three-time All-Star is coming off his worst season since becoming a full-time starter in 2019-20.<\/p>\n
Last season, Adebayo, 28, averaged 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, He shot a career-low 48.5 percent from the floor despite shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range. He also ranked in the 27th percentile amongst bigs in effective field goal percentage and in the 17th percentile in 2-point percentage, according to Cleaning The Glass.<\/p>\n
While he remains one of the best defenders in the sport, a recent centers ranking suggest he\u2019s dropped in the pecking order relative to his peers.<\/p>\n
HoopsHype ranks Bam Adebayo as 8th-best center heading into 2025-26 season:<\/p>\n
Heading into the new season, HoopsHype did their annual rankings for big men. Adebayo, who did not make an All-Defensive team for the first time since 2018-19 last year, clocked in at No. 8 after ranking No. 6 and 4 each of the last two seasons, respectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the most unique players on this list, Miami Heat center\u00a0Bam Adebayo\u00a0is undersized, at least height-wise, for a center, standing at 6-foot-9 (and that official listing might be a bit kind to him),\u201d Hoopshype\u2019s Frank Urbina wrote<\/a>. \u201cAdebayo makes up for that by having a stout, strong frame and ridiculous quickness for a 5.<\/p>\n \u201cHe also possesses great skills for a center, able to grab rebounds and bring the ball down the floor to create easy scoring looks for teammates, as well as face up, drive, and hit pull-up midrange jumpers with ease. Adebayo also just had the best three-point shooting season of his career, hitting 35.7 percent of his attempts on nearly three nightly attempts, and is an adept rebounder. \u2026 If Adebayo can continue to develop that last part of his skill set, he could make his place in this ranking look bad by the end of next season.\u201d<\/p>\n The biggest silver lining <\/a>from Adebayo\u2019s season was his 3-point shooting. He shot 43.5 percent from 3-point range over his final 35 games. That\u2019s a very encouraging development with them playing him 7-foot big Kel\u2019el Ware \u2014 who\u2019s not a natural floor spacer.<\/p>\n Despite his down season, you could argue that Adebayo\u2019s still ranked too low.<\/p>\n A few of the centers that he ranks behind is Ivica Zubac, Domantas Sabonis, Joel Embiid (is perpetually hurt) and Karl-Anthony Towns. Adebayo\u2019s the best defender and arguably the passer of those five while being the third-best scorer. <\/p>\n I understand why he\u2019s ranked below them after last season. The gap isn\u2019t big no matter how you slice the pie. But if Adebayo\u2019s able to have a big season, I could see him cracking top-6 territory once again entering 2026-27.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To check out our other content, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter\/X\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Subscribe to our YouTube channel\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t\t\t