Back in OKC, Russell Westbrook is all aboard the Steven Adams train
The Thunder superstar had high praise for the emerging center
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2 min read
During this year's playoffs, the perception of Steven Adams changed. Suddenly, he wasn't just a dependable role player, he was a future star. With Kevin Durant's departure -- and Adams' rookie contract set to expire at the end of next season -- there is now pressure on him to take the proverbial next step. According to star Russell Westbrook, though, Adams is already an All-Star caliber player.
"He's at [an All-Star level]," Westbrook said after his press conference on Thursday, via the Oklahoman's Anthony Slater. "He's at one. Steven, there's not many bigs that can do what he can do in a night-in, night-out basis. Some of the things he does is obviously not in the stat sheet, but he does a great job just being physical, being big, using his size. Steven has gotten better, I seen him already this summer. I'm not worried about Steven one bit."
Westbrook is right. There are not a lot of 7-footers who can rebound at an elite level, finish in traffic, defend guards on the perimeter, run the floor and be effective in the pick-and-roll on both ends. It also helps that he never seems to get tired, and he seems content to do all of the Thunder's dirty work without getting a ton of touches on offense.
That last part is what might change next season. Durant used a ton of possessions, and some of those could now go to Adams as a facilitator in the high post or a scorer on the block. He averaged 10.1 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 61.5 percent in the playoffs, but coach Billy Donovan wasn't exactly drawing up a lot of plays for him.
The postseason felt like a "breakout" for Adams, but his usage rate went from 12.7 percent in the regular season to ... 12.6 percent in the playoffs. What kind of numbers could he put up if Donovan decided to make him a bigger part of Oklahoma City's attack? No one knows exactly, but he should get ready for more responsibility.
A bigger role, however, will not necessarily translate to an All-Star berth. Here are the frontcourt players who made the Western Conference All-Star team last year: Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kobe Bryant, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and LaMarcus Aldridge. Bryant is retired, but it would be surprising if Blake Griffin and Marc Gasol didn't make it next season, as long as they remain healthy. Karl-Anthony Towns could be in the mix, too. Even if Adams does play like an All-Star, it's going to be a longshot for him to actually make the team over any of those guys.
