7 Mar 2024

Steven Adams building rapport at Houston Rockets

3:02 pm on 7 March 2024
Memphis Grizzles center Steven Adams.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Steven Adams is settling into life in Texas.

The 30-year-old centre was traded to the Houston Rockets from the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA earlier this year and is pragmatic about the change of scenery.

"It's part of the business bro. It was good to land in Houston though, my whole career I've been somewhat in the middle. I'm quite like familiar with the place."

Adams is with joined on the Houston roster by former team-mate Dillon Brooks.

"I was disappointed to see Dillon's ugly mug," he joked about re-uniting with Brooks, who Adams reached out to prior top his arrival.

"He let me know about the culture, that the players are really good young guys, it's all positive stuff especially as we're building."

Adams is sidelined for the entire season as he rehabilitates from knee surgery and said his initial time in camp will be spent gathering information and "being around the guys."

"You can't just come in and be like 'this is what you have to do.' You have to build some sort of rapport so what you say actually lands and they know it's coming from a good place."

However, he is still open to learning new lessons.

"It goes both ways, everyone could teach everyone, it's not an age thing. It's about being open with everyone because we're the ones out there battling. So that's the most important thing, we'll take care of X's and O's."

Asked about his notorious on court physicality, Adams quipped "I'm not sure if it helps, I just like hitting people so I'll keep doing it."