Nowadays, NBA offenses revolve around the three-point line so much that even big men are getting their points from the outside. From undersized power forwards to seven-foot giants, many of those playing the four and the five are a threat from beyond the arc. Still, there's a small group of traditional bigs making a living down in the paint, and one of them is Steven Adams.
Dubbed by many as the strongest man in the NBA, Adams gets his minutes by anchoring the middle. He doesn't score a ton of points, but his rebounding and presence in the paint is a silent game-changer for the teams he's been in. And that's exactly what Jaren Jackson Jr. emphasized when asked bout Adams' recent trade from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Jackson spoke about how playing in a frontcourt alongside a center like Adams opened up opportunities for him offensively.
“He's just a physical specimen they have to deal with,” Jackson said, via Action News 5's Matt Infield. “Last year everyone was focused on him a lot so it allowed me to catch people off guard. He helped me in so many ways.”
Besides Adams' physical capabilities, the Kiwi is also known as one of the most well-loved personalities in the locker room.
“Everybody loved him. It's tough man, it's tough,” Jackson added, pertaining to Adams' trade to the Houston Rockets.
Jaren Jackson Jr. with a great answer on Steven Adams' impact.
Says he's watched video of Stevo on @funakistats over the years to learn things from his game and use it himself.
"He helped me in so many ways. Off the court, everybody loved him…it's tough man, it's tough." pic.twitter.com/gAQjcAuvQV
— Matt Infield (@Matt_Infield) February 2, 2024
Steven Adams may be a brute on the court, but hearing all the stories told by his peers past and present, no one can deny the big man's genuine personality. The Grizzlies will surely miss not just his rebounding and defensive presence, but the friendship he brought to his teammates as well.
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