Steven Adams of the Oklahoma City Thunder has 18 siblings. (Getty)
Steven Adams is making a name for himself in the NBA Playoffs.
The center for the Oklahoma City Thunder is quite a presence on the court, standing 7-feet tall and weighing 250 pounds.
But big runs in the Adams family — in numbers and in size.
Steven is the youngest of 18 Adams siblings. And they are all large and athletic.
The Adams boys’ average height is 6-foot-9 and the sisters go 6-feet.
Here’s what you need to know about Adams and his family:
1. Adams Father, Sid, Had 18 Children With 5 Women
Steven’s father, Sid, was originally from England, but settled in New Zealand after serving in the Navy.
Sid fathered 18 children with 5 different women.
Steven says Sid had a rough time growing up due to his size. He told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in October 2012:
He went through a pretty rough time. That was when they were discriminating against freaks. That’s what he called himself. He was really, really tall and they’d tease him. He had it pretty hard.
When Steven was 13 in 2006, his father died of cancer.
Steven said after his father’s death:
I went off the rails. I didn’t really want to do life.
He began skipping school and rebelled without his father’s discipline.
2. His Mother Is From Tonga
Steven’s mother, Lilika Ngauamo, is from Tonga.
Steven’s middle name is Funaki, which is popular in Tonga.
He was never close with his mother and lived with his father.
3. Steven’s Sister Is an Olympic Gold Medalist
Steven’s sister is Valerie Adams, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner in the shot put.
Valerie won gold at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games.
She is also a three-time Commonwealth Games champion and a three-time World Indoor Championship victor.
Valerie is 31 and was married for the second time in April 2016.
4. His Brother Plays Basketball Professionally in New Zealand
Steven isn’t the only Adams son to play basketball.
His older brothers, Warren and Ralph, played in the New Zealand professional league. Warren played with former Pitt coach Jamie Dixon in the league in the late 1980s. Steven eventually played for Dixon at Pitt. Dixon is now the coach at TCU.
Another Adams sibling, Sid Jr., currently plays in the NZNBL.
5. Steven Considers a Family Friend Family
After Steven’s father died, he didn’t take it well and developed bad habits and lost motivation.
Steven’s brother Warren introduced Steven to a friend, Blossom Cameron, who played basketball with Warren.
Steven moved in with Blossom, who eventually became his legal guardian.
She’s just amazing. She’s the best human being on earth.
