Adams was solid in his NBA debut for the Pelicans on Thursday (NZ time), stuffing the stats sheet and helping his team to a 113-99 win over the Toronto Raptors.
"Steven Adams is a lot more skilled than people think," Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said after the game.
"I think when people look at Steven, they see the size of him and assume he's just, you know, a big banger, a screener, and a physical guy. But he's a skilled guy; he's got great footwork, very good hands, he can pass the ball, he can finish around the basket and out about six to eight feet with floaters, he's got great touch.
"He's a highly skilled player as Pelicans fans will find out as they watch him play this year."
In 30 minutes of action, Adams posted eight points and as many rebounds, as well as four steals, three assists and two blocks, turning plenty of heads and showing what he will bring to the Pelicans frontcourt.
Reflecting on the game, in which the Pelicans committed an alarming 27 turnovers, Van Gundy praised Adams' work on the defensive end.
"He was great defensively. He saved a couple of plays where our rotations were terrible and people were wide open, he was basically able to defend two guys on his own. He was tremendous."
Adams spent the first seven years of his NBA career in Oklahoma City, one of the NBA's smaller markets, before being dealt to one of the most exciting teams in the league.
The Pelicans are building around a young core of small forward Brandon Ingram and power forward Zion Williamson, who have both flourished since pulling on a New Orleans jersey.
The Pelicans sought Adams' services to provide some much needed support in the middle, as he provided against Toronto, but also to be a veteran presence to the young squad. Still just 27-years-old, Adams is the fourth oldest member of the Pelicans' roster and their third-longest serving NBA player, behind guards JJ Redick (now in his 16th season) and Eric Bledsoe (12th season).
"Probably the most surprising thing is calling a 27-year-old guy like Steven one of the old guys," Van Gundy said.
The Pelicans next match is against the Miami Heat, the reigning Eastern Conference champions, on Boxing Day (NZ time) in the first of five back-to-back NBA games, all of which will be broadcast on ESPN.
text by Christopher Reive, NZ Herald
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.