Bam Adebayo, Cason Wallace Dubbed NBA All-Defense, Adebayo Also Tabbed Social Justice Champion
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s basketball program landed two representatives on the 2025-26 NBA All-Defensive teams as both Cason Wallace and Bam Adebayo were recognized in an announcement from the league on Friday night. In addition, Adebayo was also named Social Justice Champion.
Both Adebayo and Wallace were tabbed second-team selections, honoring the pair’s outstanding defensive efforts this season. The selection marks the first time Wallace hauled in all-defense laurels, while Adebayo collects his sixth such recognition, the most ever by a Kentucky men’s basketball product. He now passes Anthony Davis for the most NBA All-Defensive Team selections by a Kentucky player all time.
The Miami Heat center averaged 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game along with 8.0 defensive rebounds. It marked just the second season in Adebayo’s nine-year NBA career in which he averaged at least 8.0 defensive rebounds per contest.
Adebayo also was awarded the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy, given annually to the NBA Social Justice Champion. The award honors a player for their efforts to promote social justice and for advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for communities that have been historically disadvantaged and under-resourced. For his efforts, $100K will be donated to the Bam, Books, and Brotherhood Foundation. Adebayo is the second Kentucky men’s basketball alumni to be named NBA Social Justice Champion, joining Karl-Anthony Towns, who was bestowed the honor in 2024.
In one season with the Wildcats, Adebayo was the only player to start all 38 games for a 2016-17 squad that won the SEC Tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight. He was an All-SEC Second Team and All-SEC Freshman Team honoree. Adebayo averaged 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game before being selected 14th overall by the Heat in 2017.
Wallace led the NBA in total steals during the regular season with 150, an average of 1.9 thefts per game. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard, now in his third season in the NBA, helped his team to a league-best record of 64-18 and was a key piece on the defensive end for a group which allowed just 107.9 points per game, the fewest in the western conference. A native of Dallas, Wallace was an NBA All-Rookie Team selection back in 2023-24 and won an NBA title with the Thunder last season.
Wallace was an All-SEC Freshman Team selection while at Kentucky in 2022-23, averaging 11.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals while starting 32 games. He was named the SEC Freshman of the Week three times throughout the duration of the season and tied the program’s single-game steals record with his eight swipes against Michigan State.
Kentucky’s NBA players have racked up numerous honors over the years and have won at least one major award every year since 2021. A complete list of Wildcats awards in the NBA:
Most Valuable Player
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2026)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025)
Rookie of the Year
Karl-Anthony Towns (2016)
Most Improved Player
Tyrese Maxey (2024)
Julius Randle (2021)
Sixth Man of the Year
Keldon Johnson (2026)
Tyler Herro (2022)
Clutch Player of the Year
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2026)
De’Aaron Fox (2023)
Coach of the Year
Dwane Casey (2018)
Pat Riley (1990, 1993, 1997)
Executive of the Year
Pat Riley (2011)
Social Justice Champion
Bam Adebayo (2026)
Karl-Anthony Towns (2024)
Sportsmanship Award
Tyrese Maxey (2024)
Community Assist Award
Devin Booker (2021)
John Wall (2016)
Offseason Community Assist Award
DeMarcus Cousins (2017)
Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
Dan Issel (1985)
All-Star Game MVP
Anthony Davis (2017)
Adrian Smith (1966)
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
