Whiteside salty about DPOY finish: 'I put up stats y'all ain't seen in a decade'

There's been much legitimate discussion that Hassan Whiteside didn't deserve to finish in the top three of NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting, announced Monday with the award again going to Kawhi Leonard.

Whiteside is not one of proponents of that discussion. While the Miami Heat center is unsurprised about not winning, he's willing to remind everyone about his impressive statistical production.

"I came out there and I put up stats y'all ain’t seen in a decade," Whiteside told reporters. "I'm used to not getting credit for what I do ... let one of them guys get 10-plus steals in a game, y'all would be outraged. The world would stop."

In his first full NBA season, the 26-year-old led the league in total blocks (269) and swats per game (3.7).

When asked if he still had a chip on his shoulder, the former second-round pick who spent two seasons out of the NBA before landing in Miami, said yes.

"It never left. It'll always be there. I got overlooked for All-Star. I got overlooked for this. I get overlooked at lot ... I'm used to being overlooked."

While Whiteside's development is an inspiring tale given the fact that two years ago he was playing in Lebanon, the fact is for all his statistical accomplishments (41 double-doubles this season, three block triple-doubles), he does not make his team better defensively.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra routinely benched Whiteside during fourth quarters this season, partly because opponents had a better offensive rating with him on the floor.

"I never get any credit for anything I do," Whiteside said Monday. "It is what it is, bro."