Steven Adams is the longest tenured player on the Oklahoma City Thunder roster. Photo / Getty Images
Steven Adams is the longest tenured player on the Oklahoma City Thunder roster. Photo / Getty Images
Caught up in the usual whirlwind of player movement that consumes the NBA off-season, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan is finding comfort in constancy.
The Thunder parted ways with long-time point guard and former league most valuable player Russell Westbrook, leaving Kiwi centre Steven Adams as the team's longest tenured player.
During his time with the Thunder, Adams has established himself as not only a force on the court, but has just as big a presence in the community and as a personality. Now, heading into his seventh campaign with the Thunder, he's expected to add the title of leader to his resume.
"We're expecting big things out of Steven, being a veteran guy and being an anchor to our team," Donovan told the Herald. "What he's done and what he's meant to the organisation, we're looking forward to seeing how much he's improved from last year to this year."
Adams is expected to be a point of focus for many spectators and pundits during preseason play as he leads what will be a very different Thunder outfit, particularly when the side meets the New Zealand Breakers on October 11 (NZ time).
Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan. Photo / Getty Images
But Adams' won't be the only Kiwi connection familiar to Donovan when the Thunder meet the Breakers, with Donovan having coached Breakers owner Matt Walsh during his college days at the University of Florida.
It's a relationship that has been maintained since Walsh's final year of college in 2005. Earlier this year, the pair caught up while Walsh was in the States scouting talent at the NBA summer league. The same day, news broke of the Thunder trading superstar forward Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The losses of Westbrook and George saw the Thunder part ways with their first two options on offence. In the past two seasons, Westbrook and George accounted for around 44 per cent of the Thunder's points, 40 per cent of their rebounds and 63 per cent of their assists per game. With Donovan now having to plan around his new assets, which include perennial all-star point guard Chris Paul and veteran forward Danilo Gallinari, he said it was too early to tell how it might affect Adams' role on the court.
"I don't know if his role definitely changes," Donovan said. "This will be my fifth year with Steven and the one thing that's been great for me to see is how much he's grown, gotten better and improved as a player.
"Steven has always been a good team guy. I think however he can impact our team in a positive way, we're going to have him do and Steven's always been that way. He's always been a team guy first, I think he enjoys seeing his teammates do well, I think he enjoys finding ways that he can help the group.
Billy Donovan has coached Steven Adams and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past four seasons. Photo / Getty Images
"For him, being a guy that has been in the organisation as long as anyone, there will be a lot of leadership from Steven. He knows what goes into winning and he knows the way the organisation runs. There's a lot of familiarity with him."
This year will be the second time the Thunder has welcomed a side from the Australian National Basketball League for a preseason exhibition match, after grinding out an 86-85 win over Melbourne United in 2017.
In the past few years, the crossover games have been popular with basketball fans Down Under and have given the ANBL exposure on the world stage. There are a number of differences to how the game is played between the two leagues, and Donovan said that there was plenty for NBA teams to gain from playing preseason matches against clubs from other countries.
"I think like in any team, you have things you want to do offensively and defensively and sometimes when you see something a little bit different, it really forces you to concentrate and focus on the things you've been working on in training camp.
"There is some merit to playing against a team that has maybe not a lot of familiarity. We may not have a lot of film on them and we'll have to rely on our roles and principles and things we've been practising in training camp. When guys go into a game and they're not familiar with the team, I think sometimes it can be really helpful and beneficial."
NZ Breakers v NBA preseason schedule
October 9 v Memphis Grizzlies, FedEx Forum, Memphis.
October 11 v Oklahoma City Thunder, Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City.
