Kiwi basketballer Steven Adams is one of the dirtiest players in the NBA, according to a poll by the Los Angeles Times.
In an informal poll of players and coaches conducted by the newspaper, Adams ranks second in between a couple of Australians.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova topped the poll, while his fellow countryman Andrew Bogut finished third.
The 24 people who spoke anonymously to journalist Broderick Turner listed their top five dirtiest players in the Association.
Dellavedova received 13 votes, Adams had seven, Bogut (5), Matt Barnes (4) and Adams' Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Serge Ibaka (2) rounded out the top five.
Adams is known to do the physical work for the Thunder by setting screens, boxing out for rebounds and using his 7-foot frame to his advantage.
While all key attributes to a hard worker in the NBA, one Western Conference coach the LA Times spoke to thought Adams went too far.
"The stuff that he does is not cool," a coach told the times.
"He throws elbows, extra hitting dudes away from the ball, hitting them with the chicken wing [elbow] and trying to get a rise out of them. That kind of stuff."
One player from the West also added that Adams 'crosses the line' on occasion.
"He's real physical, but he crosses the line with stuff. He'll throw a sneaky elbow, push you in the back and foul you extra hard."
It wasn't all bad news for players voted into the top five, with another Western Conference coach laughing at the idea that players were dirty these days.
"I don't think there are any dirty players anymore," the coach said.
"Back in the '80s and '90s, you could cheap-shot guys. But now it's a fine, it's a suspension, it's a points system. There's no enforcer like there used to be.
"Who's an enforcer like Charles Oakley? There's no enforcer because of the rules. How much can a little guard get under your skin? And Dellavedova is a backup. He ain't dirty. None of these guys are dirty."
Other players agreed that there is a thin line between scrappy and foul play.
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