National Basketball Association

Steven Adams is Everything We Expected and So Much More

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Steven Adams played in his first full preseason game Sunday night; Adams looked like a slightly less athletic young  Shaq.

Don’t @ me until you see this.

I don’t care that these are two completely different plays. Every now and than you get a player that is playing the game on a different plane. Adams-much like Shaq-is just bigger, faster and stronger than everyone who guards him.

Don’t get me wrong: Steven Adams is not Shaquille O’Neal. But Sunday night against the Timberwolves showed how dominate Adams can be.

Oct 16, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) blocks a shot attempt by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica (88) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

No human being should be able to palm a basketball the way Adams does in the above rebound. Nor should a human being of that size be able go back up with such force.

Adams came into the league as an incredibly raw prospect; he didn’t start playing the game until he was 14. That’s why this exponential rise of Steven Adams makes so much sense. Unlike Shaq, he didn’t grow up with the game.

The first four games of Thunder preseason were characterized by up-and-down play. There were moments, but not enough to make Thunder fans wonder if the team could still contend. Than Adams came back.

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There is a different aura surrounding OKC when the Big Kiwi is on the court. He’s the most athletic center in the game, and his chemistry in the pick-and-roll with Russell Westbrook sets the tone for the offense. Teams have to be aware of where Adams is on the court at all times; if he gets a moment of freedom Russ knows where to feed the big man.

Steven Adams finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in only 23 minutes of playing time. Who cares if it was against Minnesota’s second unit? Those are incredible stats for such a short amount of playing time.

Every year Adams adds something new to his game. Through his first three seasons the focus was mastering basic basketball skills that most NBA big men possess in high school. Now he finally has the foundation to fully realize his potential. And guess what? He’s already shooting threes ????

The possibilities are limitless for Adams. He’s already a skilled passer, both underhand and overhand. With the loss of Serge Ibaka, he’ll play an even larger role on the defensive end (the best part of his game). May I remind you he’s only 23?

Shaquille O’Neal was a physical specimen; he came in the league and dominated from the start. Adams is also a physical specimen; he came in the league and learned the game. Will Adams ever be as good as Shaq? Sadly not. He isn’t as physically blessed and the lack of basketball as a youth hurts him. But…

Can Adams be a an All-NBA center this year? Yes.

Can Adams be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate this year? Yes.

Can Adams be an all-star for the next decade? Yes.

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