Q&A: Steven Adams

Courtesy of Erik Horne

Q: Why the mustache?

A: I was just about to say, I’m accepting no questions about the ’stache. … I don’t know. I’d seen Tom Selleck, got inspired. It’s a look I’m going for.

Was it kinda a media day thing to have your picture with a ’stache all year?

Honestly, that’s all it was – so when they call out my name, it’s just “stache,” or when someone opens up the book: “stache.” It’s gonna be so good.

You made a splash in the playoffs against some really good teams. Do you feel like you’re ready to start if that’s the direction Scotty (Brooks) wants to go?

It’s all up to Scotty.

Would playing on the national team not have done you any good? Was that a tough decision not playing on that team?

It was definitely a tough decision. Every time you play basketball you’ll improve anyway. Definitely I would have. They still did a really good job without me.

Steven, I think you shot 68 percent during the playoffs. As the season progressed last year, are you finding more of your niche as a finisher?

Yeah, those were just strictly layups. Those shouldn’t count. I didn’t take no outside shots. But I’ll take it; I shoot high percentage.

I hear you’re pretty much a cult hero back home. What was the difference just in that one year in the NBA? Were you treated much differently as a 20-year-old than as a 19-year-old back home?

I just had to take photos a little more, people knew who I was. It was a weird kinda thing, because they notice tall people anyway, so they’re just “oh, that guy’s tall. He’s a weirdo – stay away from him.” … kinda that stuff. So, now it’s “oh, he’s alright.”

Do you consider yourself an offensive player? Can you be a two-way player, not just defense?

I shot 68 percent …

Those were layups

That’s offense, mate.

Seriously, do you see yourself as a guy that can be an offensive option in the post?

It’s all about the team; whatever they’re looking for. I’m just there to play, to do whatever needs to be done. It’s all up to the coach. If I’m the option for that play, if I’m the best option, then yeah. If not, then I don’t care.

Are you confident in your shot? A lot of big guys can’t shoot.

What my free throws?

No, anything. Around the basket.

I mean it’s just open layups. Because of KD and Russ, it’s real easy … they draw so much attention. I’m just like the little snake in the grass in the back. “Hiya, layups.” Easy.

Steven, the mustache is obviously a little bit of a temporary change for you, but you obviously have the tattoo (on his right forearm) that’s different from last season. Can you talk a little bit about if there was anything special as to why you decided to get the tattoo this summer?

I don’t know. I just felt sorry for ’em, ‘cause I just had writing there, which is my middle name — Funaki. He looked lonely, so I decided to get some more done. I didn’t know it was going to be this much, honestly. I just told the dude, and he freehanded all of it really. He’s a really good dude. … It’s all based around my family and family values. That’s usually how tattoos work down there, the culture. You just explain to the dude your family tree and whatnot. … You should get one.

Steven, do you expect to have kind of a target on your back given the reputation you earned last year?

A target? Why? What did I do? What do you mean by that?

Obviously not. The roughhousing reputation?

Oh, as a target. I hope not. I think I’m a nice guy. Hopefully I don’t do anything crazy. I don’t know how to answer that.

Is Andre Iguodala on your list for this season, for what happened this summer? (Iguodala poked fun at New Zealand traditional pregame dance – the haka – during the FIBA World Cup, Adams seemingly took offense on Twitter, saying “@andre, show some respect for my culture.”)

Oh, he's alright. He’s all good. I just read (Iguodala’s comments) in the morning and it kinda got to me. It wasn’t like anything bad or anything. It was just misinformed, I guess. I knew he meant it not to downplay New Zealand. I just thought differently about it. Hopefully he come down to New Zealand. He's still a good dude.

Have any of your teammates asked you to do it? The dance.

Oh, a lot of them. They want to do handshakes now with it involved. I don’t know. It’s a brave move.

The fact that the way you play kinda gets under people’s skin a little bit, that’s not intentional? That’s just a byproduct of the way you play?

They should honestly blame the coach. He just says, “Steven, go do this, and if anyone gets in the way just … yeah, deal with it.” That’s all I do. Then, people get mad so, yeah, he’s ruining me.