Steven Adams

Gentle giant and fan favourite New Zealand center whose physical dominance, unique charm and beloved personality made him an NBA institution.

Steven Funaki Adams was born on 20 July 1993 in Rotorua, New Zealand, the youngest of 18 children fathered by Sid Adams, an Englishman from Bristol who served in the Royal Navy before settling in New Zealand, with five different women, and Lilika Ngauamo, a Tongan nurse. Standing 6 feet 11 inches, Sid built a basketball court in the family's backyard where Steven honed his skills, and his half-sister, Dame Valerie Adams, became a two-time Olympic gold medallist in shot put. Adams's father died of stomach cancer in 2006 when Steven was just 13, a loss he has described as devastating and one that led to a difficult period without parental guidance, until his older brother Warren brought him to Wellington and enrolled him at Scots College, redirecting his energy toward basketball. Adams played one season for the Wellington Saints, winning the National Basketball League title and Rookie of the Year, before a single season at the University of Pittsburgh led to the Oklahoma City Thunder selecting him 12th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, becoming the first New Zealander drafted by an NBA team. Adams developed into one of the league's most physically imposing and durable centres, forming part of a formidable Thunder core alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George before moving to the Memphis Grizzlies and later the Houston Rockets. He published his autobiography, "Steven Adams: My Life, My Fight," in 2018, reflecting on the unconventional, sprawling family that shaped his journey to professional basketball.

Traditional center - elite rebounder, rim protector, screen setter

First New Zealander to become NBA star, opened pathway for Pacific players

• New Zealand Basketball Ambassador
• OKC Thunder cornerstone 2013-2020