Steven Adams is ready to start another NBA season

Steven Adams is ready to play for his fourth NBA team, the Houston Rockets.
Photo: PHOTO SPORTS

Steven Adams had to “focus on the small victories” during a long rehabilitation process after a knee injury that caused him to miss more than one season in the NBA.

The 31-year-old center is moving to the Houston Rockets after moving from the Memphis Grizzlies last season.

The New Zealander is not yet playing for the Rockets and told the media he doesn't know what impact he will have on his fourth NBA team when the season ends on October 22nd.

Adams initially tried to avoid right ACL surgery, but eventually gave in and is undergoing a two-year rehabilitation process.

He has not played in an NBA game since January 2023.

Not fully fit again yet. Adams said he is not limited in his playing time this season but is cautious.

“I just have to be smart about gameplay and stuff,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t play, it just means you have to be careful.”

The long layoff took an emotional toll on the player, who made his NBA debut in 2013.

“It sucks… it feels bad, dude.

“You just have to reprogram your brain a little bit. Normally you play as a performance indicator – you win or lose – but you have to focus on the small victories, especially in the rehab process.”

Adams will likely come off the bench for the Rockets behind Alperen Sengun, the 22-year-old from Turkey who is also dealing with an injury.

Sengun has impressed Adams with his feel for the game and his ability to score in different ways.

“The good thing about him is that his body language is very unorthodox. It's hard to understand him because he can be in a very awkward position – actually it's a really good position for him, but when you play as a defender you think that's not it.

“He has a lot of good tools and is definitely hungry.”

Adams is part of a revamped roster that used youth to balance out the veterans, and he saw the potential to win a championship.