The Steven Adams File
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Height: 6-11
Weight: 265
Age: 29
Birthday: 7/20/1993
College: Pittsburgh
Draft: 12th overall pick, 2013
Contract: Signed a 2-year, $25.2 million contract extension (kicks in before 2023-24 season)
Records/Accomplishments
- Second Team All-Rookie, 2013-14
- League leader in offensive rebounds (349), 2021-22
The Gentle Giant
If you took one look at Steven Adams, odds are, you'd probably run the other way. At the very least, you wouldn't want to mess with him. The youngest of a whopping 16 siblings, Adams has cemented himself, to this point, as the highest paid professional athlete from New Zealand ever. A monster on the boards, he is known for his love of comics and Japanese anime off the court. Adams even released his own comic for his 25th birthday, "Kiwi Legend," which he sold at the 2018 Comic-Con convention in San Diego.
Basketball fans might also recognize Adams for his unique style, sporting his signature long hair and tattoos proudly. He has earned the nicknames, Big Kiwi, Kiwi Phenom, and Aquaman, throughout his long NBA career. Most importantly though, despite his lengthy stay in America, the big guy has never forgotten his roots in New Zealand, famously having a flag sewn into the inside of his suit on draft night back in 2013.