The Oklahoma City Thunder are going through one of their most inconsistent seasons in recent years, and with the injuries to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook that they've faced, it's helped set them back to just 10th place in the Western Conference. One player starting to step into his role perfectly, though, is the young center from New Zealand, Steven Adams.

As soon as the dynamic duo of Westbrook and Durant emerged as superstars, the Thunder have been considered one of the most talented teams in the NBA. Since James Harden's emergence as a superstar in Houston, the Thunder effectively acquired three perennial All-Stars in consecutive drafts (from 2007 to 2009).

There hasn't been a traditional team rebuilding through the draft (instead of just signing loads of big-name free agents) in years and within a couple of the years, OKC was proclaimed as the only team with a chance to beat LeBron James' 2012 Miami Heat.

Although, since that didn't exactly work out for them, the Thunder have been somewhat demoted to the top contender that can never quite get over the hump to become champions, a bit like the Los Angeles Clippers or the Houston Rockets.

They've been a great team the last couple of years, but just haven't been able to compete with the San Antonio Spurs' of the world.

Despite their .500 record (23-23), the Thunder actually have a more complete roster than they've had in recent years. Clearly the loss of Harden has been devastating (and if the organization were actually willing to spend some money once in a while then they might not be in this situation), but there is still a great deal of promise among the Thunder's youngsters. And the most promising of all, is Steven Adams.

Adams was seen as a surprising pick by most people, simply because the loss of Harden left a gaping hole in the Thunder's bench production that seemed too big for an under-scouted center to fill. However, Adams' emergence as a potential defensive star and rebounding machine has helped grow Oklahoma City's foundations for the future.

He's now replaced Kendrick Perkins in the starting lineup, alongside power forward Serge Ibaka. As strong as Perkins is, weighing in at 6'10" and 280 lbs, the talent he brings to the table is limited. He can use his size to hold opponents away from the basket, but he lacks the speed or agility to come over from the weak side to offer reliable help and on offense, he does nothing more than slow the game down.

The Thunder's pace and offensive production falls drastically with Perkins, and they score a mere 86 points per 100 possessions whilst he's on the floor. With Adams at center though, that number rises to 104. It's a drastic difference to say the least, and a key reason why the upgraded frontcourt of Ibaka and Adams will be a cornerstone in OKC's future.

Adams is gradually expanding his play in the post and at times this year (particularly against the Spurs on Christmas Day), he's showed off his nicely developing hook shot. Considering how hard it is to reach your potential when Durant and Westbrook dominate so much of the Thunder's offense (producing 50.8 of the team's 99.6 points per game), Adams has shown signs of great potential.

He's increased his accuracy from 3-10 feet out by 13 percent from a year ago (now 42.2 percent), which says a lot about his extended range as this area of the floor accounts for 36 percent of his total field goal attempts. Largely that's down to his hook shot, and his 7-foot frame and 7'4" wing span gives him an incredibly high release for defenders to try and stop.

It's on defense where Adams has made the most impact, though. He's averaging 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes and holds his opponents to a stingy 48.5 shooting percentage at the rim, which, believe it or not, is a lower percentage than other star big men like Tyson Chandler, Joakim Noah and even last year's blocks per game leader, Anthony Davis.

That's just how good Adams is at securing the paint. And with Ibaka by his side (who's averaging 2.2 blocks per game), the Thunder's defense inside five feet is ranked first in the NBA, forcing opponents to make just 54.6 of their shots from under the basket.

On the boards, Adams' hustle is just as noticeable. Bringing in 10.6 rebounds per 36 minutes, the Kiwi has helped turn the Thunder into a glass eating machine, who now lead the league in rebounds per game with 46.7.

Just last week he hauled in 20 rebounds against the Washington Wizards to help claim a 105-103 road win, and he'll continue to give that effort as long as he can.

It will take another year or two until Adams fully begins to reach his potential as a scorer, simply because he won't get enough touches to develop his post-game while head coach Scott Brooks is still so willing for Durant and Westbrook to take control.

However, his defensive presence in the post and hustle on the boards has turned him into a major difference maker already.

Not just for this season, but for years to come.