Steven Adams is a rugged NBA center whose size, strength, and relentless physical play have made him one of basketball’s most respected screen setters and rebounders. Known for doing the dirty work that rarely appears in the box score, Adams has built a long career through toughness, unselfishness, and a team-first approach on both ends of the floor.
Here are the details on Steven Adams:
- Full Name: Steven Funaki Adams
- Nickname: Kid Kiwi
- Nationality: New Zealand
- DOB: Born July 20, 1993
- Hometown: Rotorua, New Zealand
- Wingspan: 7 feet 4.5 inches (2.26 m)
- Height: 6 feet 10.75 inches (2.10 m)
- Weight: 250 pounds (113 kg)
- Number: 12 (OKC Thunder), 12 (Pelicans), 4 (Grizzlies)
- Shoe Size: 17
- Shoes Worn: Wade All City 11, New Balance Two Wxy V3, Nike Air Zoom GT Run, Adidas Harden Vol. 4, Adidas D Rose 7, Adidas Pro Bounce 2018
- Position: Center
- Draft: 2013, 1st round (12th pick overall) by the Oklahoma City Thunder
- University: Pittsburgh Panthers (University of Pittsburgh)
- Siblings: Valerie Adams, Warren Adams, Ralph Adams, Lisa Adams, Sid Adams Jr
- Net Worth: Made $159,360,003 in the NBA (as of 2024)
- Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets
Steven Adams’ player archetype is a physical interior center who impacts games through screening, rebounding, and rugged paint play rather than high-volume scoring. Exceptionally strong with a broad frame, he creates space for teammates by setting crushing screens, dominates the offensive glass, and consistently extends possessions with second-chance opportunities. Adams anchors the middle with positional defense and physicality, making life difficult for opposing big men while protecting the paint without chasing blocks. His offensive game stays simple, built around rolls to the rim, put-backs, and smart passing, allowing others to thrive while he handles much of the game’s demanding physical work.
Scouting Report
Steven Adams influences games in ways that often disappear once you look beyond the box score. Watch him for a few possessions and you start noticing how many clean looks originate from his screens rather than the pass that follows them. He doesn’t just make contact—he changes angles at the last moment, holds position without drifting, and forces defenders to take longer recovery routes, giving ball handlers an extra beat to turn the corner. That’s where his offensive value begins. As a roll man, he isn’t chasing touches so much as collapsing the weak side, occupying the low man long enough for shooters to relocate or cutters to slip behind the defense. When the ball does find him, he keeps things uncomplicated, making the next pass quickly instead of holding the offense hostage. The trade-off is obvious. He isn’t stretching defenses with perimeter shooting or creating his own offense off the dribble, so his scoring depends heavily on the actions unfolding around him. Defensively, Adams thrives when he can dictate physicality early in the possession. He anchors drop coverage with excellent positioning, absorbs contact without surrendering deep paint position, and boxes out with such commitment that teammates often collect the rebound he created. It’s easy to overlook just how many extra possessions he manufactures by tipping offensive rebounds to teammates rather than forcing awkward put-backs through traffic. Against quicker offenses that repeatedly pull him into space, there are moments where recovering back to the play becomes more difficult, but even then he rarely abandons the structure of the defense trying to compensate. Put him next to downhill guards who embrace contact and wings who move intelligently without the ball, and his screening, offensive rebounding, and connective passing become force multipliers because he creates advantages that others finish. To me, his game blends the screening craft of Andrew Bogut with the interior presence of Jonas Valančiūnas, although Adams is even more willing to sacrifice his own numbers if it means creating a cleaner possession for someone else. That’s a skill that doesn’t generate many highlights, but coaches recognize its value almost immediately.
Notes:
- Steven Adams’ height with shoes was 7 feet 0 inches in his rookie season and may be up t0 7 feet 0.75 inches today.
- Steven Adams’ playing weight was 254 pounds as a rookie and was 250 pounds for the 2023-24 season.
- When Steven Adams was a rookie, he signed a shoe deal with Adidas. For the 2022-23 season, Adams wore the New Balance Two Wxy V3s while playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. In the lead-up to the 2024-25 season, Adams wore the Way of Wade All City 11s. Adams spent time playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder and wore the Adidas Harden Vol. 4 during his playing career. Adams also played with Derrick Rose for the Memphis Grizzlies and he wore the Adidas D Rose 7.
- Steven Adams is one of the best basketball players from New Zealand. Known for his strength, Adams is a very good rebounder and knows how to protect the key.
Fun Facts
- He has a reputation for being tough and intimidating. NBA players generally don’t want to annoy him on the court, but he’s actually a very nice guy off the court.
- He has two sisters who are also successful athletes. Valerie Adams is a professional shot putter. Lisa Adams is a para-athlete and has won Olympic medals for shot put.
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