An open (love) letter to Steven Adams

I’ve always been a Russell Westbrook advocate. I stand by my belief that he’s the best player in the league, if not by talent then by passion for the game, and it’s a stance that has positioned me in the center of many spirited workplace debates and heated reply-all email chains.

But recently, those who know me well have begun to call me out. Something’s changing, they say, that even I had not noticed until now.

I’m becoming a Steven Adams super fan.

Let’s be honest—it starts with his accent. I could listen to him talk for hours. About anything. Want to read the phone book in its entirety? I’m in. Excerpts from a book about creating the perfect Excel spreadsheet? I’m your gal.

Of course, there’s more to him than just his music-to-my-ears inflection and witty jargon.

He is, by far, the most entertaining player in the entire league. Sure, there have been other professional athletes who have become famous for their antics, but it’s just not the same. He’s not changing his name to some outrageous moniker, dying his hair every color of the rainbow, or bringing fame to the flop. Rather, he’s becoming beloved for his comical media interviews, lovable personality, and wild ‘stache.

And let’s talk for a moment about his physical toughness. In this year’s postseason, Adams has been straight-up abused on the court. Every time, he gets up without a word, brushes off, and continues dominating.

There was the migraine he battled before Game 6 against the Spurs. A game in which he, incidentally, earned a double-double. There was the broken hand in the middle of last season. You know, the one where he stayed on the floor to shoot free throws with his opposite hand before seeking medical attention. There was the first kick Draymond Green administered to Adams’ groin. Then, there was the second one. The famous one.

After getting kicked that time, Adams didn’t complain. He simply said, “I mean, it happened before, mate. He’s pretty accurate, that guy.”

In Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Adams took even more blows. He twisted his ankle and bounced back. He even continued playing after Green (totally on purpose, I don’t care what you say) smacked Adams’ bruised thumb.

His growth since joining the NBA in 2013 is astounding. He’s my favorite example of a player who has grown by leaps and bounds in a short period of time. Not only is he still new to the professional circuit, Adams is new to basketball in general. He didn’t start playing until a time in his life when most NBA stars are already signing contacts for the NCAA.

He went from being a student at the University of Pittsburgh to becoming a first-round draft pick and a 22-year-old who is now five wins away from becoming the first player from Pitt to win an NBA championship.

In his first year as a pro, Adams’ field goal percentage was .503. In the ’15-’16 regular season, it was .613. He increased his free throw percentage from .502 last year to .582 this year.

In 2013, he had 57 blocks. The very next year, that number was 86. It’s now 89. He had 43 assists his first year with the Thunder, and earned 62 this year.

Perhaps the most impressive is his incredible defensive game. In his first year, Adams had a total of 332 rebounds. In this year’s regular season, that number was 533.

Now, let’s examine the postseason—arguably the most exciting example of his improvement as a well-rounded player. His first year in the playoffs earned Adams 74 total rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and a .348 free throw percentage.

This year, those playoff numbers are drastically different. Thus far, he has 143 total rebounds, 10 assists, 8 steals, and a .646 free throw percentage.

That’s a 93% increase in postseason rebounds and a near doubling of his free throw percentage. What?

His athleticism is incredible. This dodgeball pass from Game 4 sealed the deal for me.

The youngest of 18 siblings, Adams has family pride—a pride that can be seen in how he plays for his homeland and on the heritage-inspired tattoos he adorns.

His ink makes me want a tattoo. If he’d go with me, I’d get a “Funaki” sleeve. I would. Don’t even question me.

There are a lot of places in the world I would like to travel. Never before had New Zealand made the list. Now, it’s a place I dream of when I drift off to sleep. I imagine it’s full of 7-feet-tall nonhuman beauties with sharp wit and endearing smiles. Sure, Steven himself claims it smells like farts, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.

Steven, if you happen to be reading this by some luck, can I go with you to New Zealand? Or, maybe a basketball game? Even IHOP will do.

There’s no doubt I’m kiwi-struck. When I notice Adams on the receiving end of interviews, my heart starts to flutter and my mental collection is suddenly as absent as Steph Curry in Games 3 and 4 of these Western Conference Finals.

I am giddy when he enters the court. I scream out in fear when he hits the deck, injured for a brief second before bouncing back in all of his immortal splendor. And, I am the first to spout off his stats the morning after a game.

Look. I’ll still lobby for Westbrook until I’m blue in the face (or until 2017 when he may leave us in the cold). But, when it comes to my favorite Thunder player, it may just be Steven Adams after all.