We can't talk about a transfer of power, but Friday evening, Steven Adams was back in OKC to challenge Chet Holmgren, his successor in the Thunder paint. It was the first time that OKC's young pivot challenged his illustrious predecessor, and listening to him, he expected a much more physical and muscular challenge.
“Obviously he’s really tough, but it was different from what I expected.” he admits. “He doesn’t look for conflict. It moves rather slowly. There’s nothing you can do, and it’s definitely a different type of power and it has some little tricks as well.”
With 5 points and 2 rebounds in 16 minutes, Adams did not weigh on the match, and he was in difficulty when his young opponent was wide, capable of punishing from afar, or going to the circle on a cross dribble. But for Adams, the most important thing was reuniting with his old fans.
“The people here are very resilient, very loyal and hardworking”, appreciates the Rockets pivot. “There’s a lot of history here in Oklahoma. What the Thunder has done to capture the essence of the city is why I get such a great reception, such great loyalty from the fans. Every time you play for them, it obviously goes beyond your personal case. They adopt you. They raised me. I arrived at 18 or 19 years old. The way they welcomed me probably had a lot to do with it. I did my best for the city. They showed me love in return.”
