Oklahoma City Thunder’s Steven Adams focused on own team amid NBA players movement flurry
THE National Basketball Association (NBA) offseason has been a busy one with a number of teams shoring up their respective rosters, particularly in the Western Conference where some league stars have taken their talents to.
While he is fully aware of how such movement can affect the dynamic in the conference he is playing in, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Steven Adams would rather focus on what is happening within his team and what they should do collectively to compete amid jacked-up competition.
Currently in the country to assist in the conduct of the seventh edition of the NBA 3X Philippines and do some NBA Cares activities, Mr. Adams met with members of the media where he discussed various things, including his take on the flurry of player shifts in the NBA.
“I’m not really concerned about players moving to different teams to be honest. Every team is hard to play in the NBA. Whether it is in the Eastern Conference or Western Conference. You just have to be concerned more on your team because if you think too much of the other teams you will not do well,” said the long-haired Adams during media availability at the NBA Store in Glorietta 3 last Tuesday.
He went on to say though that the arrival of former Indiana Pacers All- Star forward Paul George in OKC should only make them a better team moving ahead.
“Obviously Paul George is going to help us. He’s another good guy and he’s only going to make things easy for us,” said New Zealander Adams of Mr. George, who the Thunder got in a trade with the Pacers recently.
“I have yet to talk to George since he got traded to us. But I’m excited to meet him. I’m excited to go back to the Thunder, work out, and being in a family environment,” said the Thunder big man.
Just finished his fourth year with the Thunder, Mr. Adams said he has been settling well in OKC and playing alongside team leader Russell Westbrook and fellow big man Enes Kanter.
“Russ is a great dude. He’s an amazing guy. When you are playing alongside a player like Russ it only makes playing enjoyable because you know everything he does comes from the right places,” he said of the newly minted NBA most valuable player.
“Enes is annoying [ Laughs.] No, we actually have a good relationship. We give each other advices. It’s nice to be good friends with him as we can tell each other what we want to say without sugar-coating anything,” Mr. Adams said of Mr. Kanter, who recently visited the country for his foundation.
Looking ahead, Mr. Adams, who averaged 11.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and a block last season, said they will try in OKC to do what they can from their end and see where it leads them.
“It’s really hard to say what will happen next season. Every year things change. You have some teams rising out of nowhere. We are not really concerned much about the others. What we will do is focus on what we can control and what we can do,” he said.
The playoff rounds of NBA 3X Philippines happen on July 22 and 23 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.
Mr. Adams is joined for the event by former NBA player and coach Reggie Theus and LA Laker Girls. —