NBA: Ranking the top 20 players that impact the game in non-scoring roles

16. Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder

There are some players in the NBA you can punk, Steven Adams is not one of them. He knows who he is, strong-minded, shot blocker, rebounder, and he’s not afraid to mix it up. Khris Middleton, Jae Crowder, Damian Lillard, Vince Carter, Swaggy P, DeMarcus Cousins, and Draymond Green are some of the players who’ve been frustrated by Adams hard sometimes considered dirty play.

In the first round of the 2014 playoffs, Adams upset the Grizzlies’ best player Zach Randolph to the point he punched him in the face and was suspended for Game 7, a game the Thunder would go on to win after struggling with the Grit and Grind Grizzlies. Adams is known for setting hard picks on guards and instead of getting mad at their team for not calling out the pick, the player often gets mad at Adams.

While his offense has gotten better over the years, he knows he’s out there to be a force on defense and offensive rebounds, where his average of 3.5 is 12 all-time in NBA history.