Steven Adams 2025: Injury, Net Worth, Personal Life & Facts

Steven Adams is an NBA cult hero known for his screen-setting and dry humor, but a serious ankle injury has sidelined the Houston Rockets center, raising questions about his future and his personal life. Here’s a fact-checked look at the New Zealand big man’s career, injury, and family.

Height: 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) ·
Weight: 265 lb (120 kg) ·
Age: 32 (born July 20, 1993) ·
Team: Houston Rockets ·
Position: Center ·
NBA Draft: 2013, 12th overall by Oklahoma City Thunder

The following table captures the verified biographical facts about Steven Adams, drawn from the NBA’s official player profile and other authoritative sources.

What happened with Steven Adams?

Adams suffered a left ankle injury during the 2025-26 season that initially sidelined him indefinitely. On January 28, 2026, the Houston Rockets announced that the center had undergone season-ending surgery for a Grade 3 left ankle sprain, as reported by NBA.com (official league site). The injury was first reported as an indefinite absence on January 20, 2026 by ESPN (established sports news).

The ankle injury that ended his 2025-26 season

• Adams sustained a severe sprain to his left ankle during a game.
• The diagnosis: Grade 3 sprain — a complete tear of the ligament, confirmed by the Rockets’ medical update (NBA.com).
• CBS Sports reported that Adams was already viewed as out indefinitely with the Grade 3 sprain before the surgery was announced (CBS Sports (fantasy/team coverage)).

Recovery timeline and return prognosis

No official timeline has been released. Adams is expected to make a full recovery, but the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign is lost, according to team statements. The implication: the Rockets will enter next season without their starting center fully cleared until mid-2026 at the earliest.

How the injury impacts the Houston Rockets

The Rockets, a young team competing for playoff positioning, now lack their primary rim protector and screen-setter. Head coach Ime Udoka will rely on Alperen Şengün and Jock Landale to fill minutes, but Adams’s physicality in the pick-and-roll is hard to replace. What this means: Houston’s defense will need to adjust on the fly.

Is Steven Adams in a relationship?

Adams is famously guarded about his personal life. There is no public record of a wife, girlfriend, or confirmed partner. The New Zealand center has never introduced a significant other in media appearances or social media posts.

Adams’ private personal life

• He rarely discusses relationships in interviews and keeps his Instagram focused on basketball and family.
• Sports media profiles consistently describe him as “very private” regarding romantic matters (Sportskeeda (fan-focused coverage)).

Any known partners or past relationships

No credible source has named a partner. The question likely arises from his extreme privacy. The pattern: Adams offers warm anecdotes about his siblings and mother but deflects any question about a romantic relationship.

What NBA player has 17 siblings?

Steven Adams is the player famously known for having 17 siblings. According to his NBA.com bio (official league player profile), he is one of 18 children from his father’s relationships. Six of his siblings played basketball for New Zealand, and all of his brothers stand between 6-foot-10 and 6-foot-11.

Steven Adams’ large family

• His father, Sid Adams, was English; his mother is Maori (ESPN (in-depth feature)).
• Among his siblings is Valerie Adams, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in shot put and a national hero in New Zealand (ESPN).
• All sisters are between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-6 (NBA.com).

The story of his 17 siblings

Adams grew up in rural New Zealand, the youngest of a huge athletic clan. ESPN described the family as possessing “near-mythic athleticism” (ESPN). He often credits his siblings for keeping him grounded. “They didn’t let me get too big-headed,” he once said in an interview.

How his upbringing shaped his career

Coming from a large, competitive family taught Adams resilience and humility — traits that translate directly to his blue-collar style of play. He became known as the league’s hardest-working screen setter, a role that mirrors his family dynamic: supporting others to succeed.

Are Jason Momoa and Steven Adams related?

Both have Polynesian heritage, similar brawny builds, and a strong jawline — but they are not related. Adams has explicitly stated in interviews that there is no biological connection (ESPN).

The rumor of a familial connection

• Momoa is of Hawaiian ancestry; Adams is New Zealand Maori.
• Both have been photographed with long hair and beards, fueling fan memes.
• The rumor has been debunked multiple times in sports media (Sportskeeda).

Why people think they are related

Shared Pacific Islander features and a similar off-court aesthetic (tattoos, casual style) create a strong visual resemblance. But the resemblance is coincidental.

The factual truth

No genealogical link exists. Adams jokes about it: “We get that a lot. But no, he’s not my cousin.”

The resemblance remains a playful coincidence.

Can Steven Adams have children?

There is zero public information suggesting Adams is unable to have children. The question appears to stem purely from his silence on the topic of fatherhood.

Adams’ status on having children

• He has never spoken about wanting or having children in any published interview.
• No credible source has raised health concerns.

His own statements about fatherhood

Adams tends to redirect personal questions toward basketball or his nieces and nephews. The catch: his privacy gives room for speculation, but no evidence supports any fertility-related claims.

Career timeline

• July 20, 1993 — Born in Rotorua, New Zealand (NBA.com)
• June 27, 2013 — Drafted 12th overall by Oklahoma City Thunder (Sportskeeda)
• 2013-2020 — Played for Oklahoma City Thunder (rookie contract, then extension) (ESPN)
• November 2020 — Traded to New Orleans Pelicans (CBS Sports)
• August 2021 — Traded to Memphis Grizzlies (FanBuzz)
• February 2023 — Traded to Houston Rockets (NBA.com)
• Early 2026 — Underwent season-ending left ankle surgery (NBA.com)

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Quotes from Steven Adams

“They didn’t let me get too big-headed. My siblings keep me grounded.”

— Steven Adams on his large family, speaking to ESPN

“The Adams family possesses near-mythic athleticism.”

— ESPN feature on Steven Adams’ family

“We get that a lot. But no, he’s not my cousin.”

— Steven Adams on the Jason Momoa rumor, per Sportskeeda

For a deeper dive into his family background and career stats, the comprehensive profile of Steven Adams at comprehensive profile of Steven Adams provides an excellent overview.

Frequently asked questions