Between Two Beers Podcast
How Steven Adams Accidentally Became The NBA's Most Beloved Star (Exclusive)
03 May 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What does Steven Adams share about his feelings after being drafted?
Even after I got drafted, they called out my name and stuff. I still thought it was fake. You just don't know if they're just going to be like, oh, just kidding. You just don't know.
Yeah. I feel like David Stern would be, yeah. When you see him in front of you, I feel like that's the moment you go.
Shaking your hand. Yeah. But even still, I'm shaking his hand. I'm like, it might be a mask. Bro, I was terrible as a kid. I was a Bambi. Very skinny, unco. You know what I mean? Yeah, I used to get smoked a lot, bro. My family's ability to just know that I needed to get out in a different environment, that alone was a big decision, and family did a good job identifying that.
So then I'd just go to basketball and then Kenny. Just amazing luck running into Kenny. Because I didn't really like basketball like that, but I knew I really liked to work out. Then the basketball love, I fell in love with it as I was learning it.
You do get the college scholarship. Fair to say you didn't enjoy it?
It was terrible, bro. Just to paint a really lonely picture.
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Chapter 2: How did Steven Adams' upbringing shape his basketball journey?
I was alone and I was like, damn, I want to be outside. And so I was like, I'll just get a boomerang so I could throw something and it'll come back to me. And then I threw it and I suck at boomerang. So it just landed.
So then I was just there in the field, just throwing, walking back and forth. The OKC Golden State playoff in 2016. You got kicked in the nuts Twice? A couple of times, right?
Draymond Green Yeah, yeah, yeah It definitely happened twice One was like a clear kick The other one was like a knee But it was like a suspicious knee
This hasn't really been talked about publicly before. You've put on 24 Stephen Adams camps in New Zealand, 10,000 kids, 11,500 singlets, 12,500 balls, and it's all for free, supported by you.
People looked after me when I was trying to play basketball and come up and stuff. There was many people along the way. I just feel like it's my duty to just give back.
How do you think about the future? Will it be in New Zealand? You've got the contract with the Rockets, but... Are you the kind of guy that has a five-year, 10-year plan? Like, have you got things you want to achieve after basketball? This week on Between Two Bears, we talk to Stephen Adams. Stephen is the most successful Kiwi NBA player in history.
12 seasons, nearly 800 games, four franchises, over $350 million in career earnings. That's in New Zealand dollars. and the first Kiwi ever drafted in the first round. He's one of 14 siblings, grew up in Rotorua, left the country as a teenager, and within two years was setting screens on Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
It's an incredible story, and this is one of our favourite episodes we've ever done. This is Stephen Adams as you've never heard him before.
Between Two Bears is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One New Zealand connects New Zealand while Between Two Bears connects New Zealanders. And together, we are New Zealand's most trusted connection platform.
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Chapter 3: What motivated Steven Adams to give back to the community?
He's got a really nice house as well. I forgot where it was, but it's really beautiful. But all those boys are freaking cool, man. They're really chill, man. They've got a really good story and they're just laid back, man.
Did Machu big us up at all? Because we've had him on before as a guest. Did he say anything about us? It's okay if he did it.
But he would have, bro.
Wasn't on the agenda. I bet you he would have, bro. I was hoping he'd pump our tyres up at least. Fishing for compliments, eh? Tricky start.
On the steaks thing, on the food, it's come up a lot. We've done a lot of research for this because everyone's talking about the food. And we've heard that two steaks, any time you go out, one doesn't quite cut the mustard and you eat them with your hands. Is that accurate?
Not entirely. Like if I'm with the team and stuff and I eat by myself like at a takeaway order, then I'll do it. But like if I'm in an establishment, I'll use my knife and fork just because I don't want to terrify these guests who are there to have like a night out. Just seeing this fucking dude eating steak and shit with his hands.
But I heard you'll never burn your mouth if you use your hands.
That's right, brother. You know what I mean? That's why I use my hands. You'll never burn your mouth.
Because you did the carnivore diet for a couple of years, but you're not doing it anymore?
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Chapter 4: How did Steven Adams navigate his early years in the NBA?
But other than that, probably just try and do the best I can, yeah.
So what have you bombed off? What does not... I can't even talk. I'm so nervous. Fuck. What does not agree? What doesn't agree with Stephen Adams? Slow down, huh?
Like a lot of the leafy stuff, like cabbages in that, like, I don't know. It just makes me super gassy.
I don't think that's unique to you. I think that's a common thing.
I share this with a lot of other humans too. But yeah, I was like super gassy. And so like, yeah, I just, I was just trying to find stuff that like, if I ate it before a game or working out, does it sit appropriately? You know what I mean? And a lot of that food I had to scrap out because it was just bloated and you just feel crap, bro. You're trying to train.
You're getting like a little bit of bloating. It's like, damn, bro, it sucks. So yeah, stripped a lot of those out. Mostly leafy greens and mostly vegetables. That's what I found out.
Just leave the good stuff in.
Yeah, just meat and fruit. I was like, bro, that's pretty good.
Few eggs in there too, huh?
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Chapter 5: What advice does Steven Adams share about personal hygiene?
That's usually 80% of it. You know what I mean? Be fresh. Yeah, you have to be fresh, bro. Women pick up on that if you don't shower. They do. Have a shower, bro. Some of the other stuff you can patch it.
Chapter 6: How did the 2016 playoffs impact Steven Adams' career?
It's good advice. It's good advice. Sage advice.
So I used to work at the Herald as a sports reporter, and I remember blogging the OKC Golden State playoff in 2016. And this was like two or three years in, right? And it was like you'd been drafted into this team, and here was this huge game against Steph Curry and Draymond Green and Clay Thompson. Yeah, close. And man, the whole of the country was watching. There was so much interest in that.
First NBA player since Sean Marks, making a big impact. Did you notice your profile kind of blow up during that series? Was that kind of a marker where you got a lot of attention?
I think so. I just thought that was just a, I don't know if it was like me specifically, but I just thought it was just a part of the playoffs. Because everything's just magnified. As you know, playoffs is just like all the other teams are gone. You focus on this one team. And yeah, I think that series alone, because it was such an emotional series, there was a lot of drama involved.
Lot of drama going on for again. I got kicked and all that sort of stuff. We lost like game six and whatever We're up 3-1. So I think that alone is just like a wrote its own story Because you were the focal point because you yeah, like you got kicked in the nuts come on, right? Draymond green like a game. Yeah. Yeah, they definitely haven't twice One was like a clear kick.
The other one was like a knee, but it was like a suspicious knee Suspiciously
Was there any I'll see you after?
No, no, no, none of that stuff, bro. Just like, oh, yeah, all good. Just take your L and make sure there's still two. Just like, oh, yeah, one, two, and then you freaking move on, bro. But, yeah, like, that whole series was freaking awesome, though. But, again, I think it was just like its own story. Like, it was just like so fun to probably follow along. Like, as a player, it was amazing to play.
And it was just like ridiculous. Even the atmosphere, like, of the fans was just insane. Like the Oklahoma fans, they're like crazy loud. And then when we go to OKC, I mean, sorry, when we go to Golden State, their fans are just freaking vicious, talking so much trash, bro. That's freaking, that's cool.
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Chapter 7: What lessons did Steven learn from his PCL injury?
After that photo, I got messages from all my family. Yo, what the fuck are you doing? You okay, bro?
Any bed sponsors come on board and say, we can hook you up?
Hi, guys. I would like a freaking mattress sponsor, please. No, no, no. Not yet. Not yet. But yeah, I got me a bed and all that. But I don't know. I don't need much. You know what I mean? Now, again, it's like, again, living situation is very dependent on, like, if you have a partner as well. So I probably live the same as a lot of other single dudes. You know what I mean?
That's just like, oh, yeah, just get a freaking, get a mattress, bro, and a TV with some Wi-Fi.
Your gaming setup. Yeah.
You're good.
Drinks stacked with, fridge stacked with drinks.
But, yeah, obviously it changes. Like, if you've got a partner or something, then you'll spruce it up.
Yeah. Everything.
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Chapter 8: How does Steven Adams give back to the New Zealand community?
Because, I mean, yeah, that's what you're meant to do, you know? But yeah, I like living minimalist, I would say.
Just getting into the weeds of like a game day, if you've got a home game, what does the actual day look like if it's a nighttime tip-off?
Yeah, so if it's a 7 o'clock game, typically the team will meet at 10 a.m. And that one will be like a half an hour game. um also it'll probably be like an hour hour and a half ish if you're really pushing it but like first part's film you've got the film other team strategy blah blah blah your own strategy tactics whatnot touch up on some things get some touch shots just to feel good
And then, yeah, the game's at 7, but that's like the team joins. Before that, everyone has their own individual stuff. So if you like to lift or get your treatments and stuff like that, usually come in before the 10 o'clock. So you'll be there at like 8, 9, depending on the person. Come and get all that stuff, and then you'll just go back and rest.
My one is that after the 10 o'clock one, I'll go home, try and eat, and then try and nap. And then I'll show up. If it's 7 o'clock, I try to get there at like 3.30. Yeah, 3.30 game. And then I'll just start my routine. Again, just getting the body open, treating different things. You know what I mean? Soft tissue work, all that sort of stuff.
Then get on the court, touch up, and then get ready for the game. I'll watch over some film as well, just like if I feel like I need it, but I don't want to cloud. I don't want to like, you know, cram study too much. But yeah, and then just 7 o'clock game, and then tip off, bro. Ready to go.
And then like you go back to back to back to back some nights as well, right?
Yeah. So the game will finish. So say if it's a home game and then it's like a back to back, we have to leave. I don't know, game finish at like 10 o'clock or something. You'll get out. Then you go straight from the stadium, straight to the airport. Then you fly out to like the next destination. Maybe get there at whatever time.
Hopefully it's a short flight, but some of these are like, it's pretty rubbish. You'll get in at like 2 a.m. or something like this. Then you'll play the next day.
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