Adams harnesses All Blacks ethos for Oklahoma’s benefit
Whenever there’s contact on the basketball court, Steven Adams is somehow in the middle of it.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s massive, scraggly-haired centre ranks third in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game, often muscling through two or three defenders to claim a second-chance opportunity.
He ranks in the top 12 for loose balls recovered, never hesitating to throw his 7-foot (2.13m) frame to the hardwood. And he ranks in the top 20 for screen assists per game, as his sturdy, broad-shouldered picks free up teammates for drives and jumpers.
This willingness to deliver and receive punishment has been a lifetime endeavour. The 25-year-old Adams is a native of New Zealand, where rugby is a brutal national pastime and the powerhouse national team, the All Blacks, reigns supreme.
“Every kid wants to grow up to be an All Black,” Adams said. “That’s the whole country, mate.”
Before Adams filled out his 120kg frame, he was, by his own account, a “tall, scrawny and weak” child who was overpowered and out-leveraged on the rugby pitch by shorter, stouter opponents in his days as a lock.
“It’s a beating,” said Adams, an expert on the subject of scrums given he’s drawn more fouls this season than all but six NBA centres. “You can’t see it all on TV but guys are just going at it down in the trenches. If you watch the professionals, a dude will go in completely clean and come out with a broken nose.”
The best part of the lock’s job comes during lineouts, rugby’s version of sideline inbounds plays. Adams’ teammates would lift him off the ground, using his height to secure possession. Picture Russell Westbrook and Paul George boosting Adams into the air with their shoulders to complete an alley-oop.
But those high-flying moments were too few and far between, and Adams shelved his rugby dreams in his early teens, concluding his frame wasn’t suitable.
“The Pacific Islanders are big boys,” he said. “I’m half-Poly [Polynesian], but you’ve got some full-blooded Polys out there who are built like crazy. An eight-year-old can be built like an 18-year-old with man strength. I learned very early that rugby wasn’t my sport.”
Although Adams was hesitant to draw cross-sport comparisons from a technical or strategic standpoint, he said the All Black mentality has cleanly transferred to his new profession. After hitting an early growth spurt and securing a basketball scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, he brought his country’s selfless, merciless ethos with him.
“The motto that sums up New Zealand is the ‘no dickheads’ policy,” Adams said. “Just don’t be a dickhead about anything. If the coach asks you to do something, do it. If you come home with a broken nose, thank you for your services. You did your job. I grew up [knowing the importance] of how hustle plays and gritty details make a successful outcome.”
Adams, who is averaging a careerhigh 15.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, has become one of the league’s top big men, turning hustle plays into a US$100 million contract. His bruising style and eccentric humour have made him a cult hero in New Zealand and Oklahoma City alike, and more than 261,000 fans have voted for him to make the all-star team, the thirdhighest tally among centres.
With “Steve-O” in the middle, Oklahoma City have transformed from a scoring juggernaut during the Kevin Durant years into a team whose defence carries its offence. At his preseason news conference, Thunder general manager Sam Presti hailed Adams as a “game-changer” due to his “All Black-type” focus on winning.
Despite a career year from George and a third straight triple-double season from Westbrook, the Thunder rank 21st in offence and last in threepoint percentage. Yet Oklahoma City (25-13) are among the West’s best teams because of their No 1 defence and No 4 rebounding rate.
“Three-point shooting has not been great for us,” coach Billy Donovan said. “We’ve got to find other ways to win. Being consistent with defensive rebounds and defending without fouling is a recipe for us to be the best version of ourselves.”
As bigger names such as Durant and Carmelo Anthony have come and gone, Adams has become increasingly central to Oklahoma City’s winning formula, serving as the offence’s safety net and the defence’s back line. He’s also forged a close friendship with Westbrook, who once donned a fake moustache and armsleeve tattoo while dressing up as Adams for Halloween.
“As a leader, I always want to know the person or the guy outside of basketball,” Westbrook said. “Everybody has a journey and a story. Where they like the ball on the court, that’s irrelevant. Friendships and the brotherhood are most important.”
To that end, Adams introduced the Thunder to the All Blacks, inviting TJ Perenara to speak to his teammates in Oklahoma in November. The 26-year-old halfback offered a crash course in New Zealand’s culture, saying he was “completely blown away” by the sporting exchange.
Adams makes no secret of his fandom, wearing All Blacks jerseys in online photos and even kicking a rugby ball into a chair from 15m as part of a promotional challenge on YouTube. The “Big Kiwi” plans to watch Perenara and the All Blacks — his beloved “meatheads” — pursue their third straight Rugby World Cup title this year from the comfort of his local pub. Until then, he’s focused on leaving his stamp on a Thunder team that reflects its centre now more than ever.
“The boys here understand all these small things have such a big impact,” Adams said. “This season is like another Christmas. The old ones are cool but the new one is a bit dandier.”
The motto that sums up New Zealand is the ‘no dickheads’ policy. Just don’t be a dickhead about anything. Steven Adams