Steven Adams Set To Become NZ's Highest Paid Athlete

The Thunder centre is poised to become New Zealand’s highest-paid sports star.

Steven Adams' third season in the NBA appears unlikely to bring his first title but the Kiwi can console himself in the knowledge he will soon become this country's highest paid athlete.

The Thunder centre was yesterday unable to prevent his side from falling to a game-three defeat to the Spurs, with San Antonio leading for much of the game to win 100-96 and take a 2-1 advantage in their Western Conference semifinal.

After playing a pivotal role in the Thunder's game-two win in San Antonio - scoring 12 points and pulling down a career playoff-high 17 rebounds - Adams yesterday scored two points and grabbed 11 boards while playing generally sound defence.

He also spent 41 minutes on the floor, a level of usage that was more than All Star guard Russell Westbrook and exemplified just how crucial the Kiwi is becoming to the Thunder's cause.

And that importance will next year be rewarded with increased remuneration, when Adams' rookie contract ends and he becomes eligible to sign an extension with Oklahoma City or test the open market.

With the NBA salary cap set to rise substantially in the next two seasons, ESPN's Thunder correspondent Royce Young estimated Adams would sign a four-year contract in the region of US$15 million a year ($22 million).

Such a salary would be a significant rise, given the 22-year-old will next season earn $4.6 million.

Even without endorsements it will be well above the highest estimates of the annual totals earned by Scott Dixon ($11 million), Winston Reid ($12 million) and Russell Coutts ($13 million).

It's an unfathomable amount in the context of New Zealand sport, where even our best-paid All Blacks receive around $1 million a year. Adams' rise up the sporting rich list could be even bigger.

Read the full story at NZ Herald