As Kiwi as, Adams sloshes through snow in jandals
As Kiwis wander around surf beaches in their jandals, NBA star Steven Adams is doing the same – in the freezing cold of the US snow.
Adams, 27, was filmed strolling across a snowy airport runway in his preferred footwear the day after his New Orleans Pelicans beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-80.
It snows most winters in Oklahoma City. Adams knows that; he was with OKC from 2013, until traded to the Pelicans in November.
Even knowing how cold Oklahoma could be failed to move Adams from his preferred footwear, as he laconically sloshed through snow and icy water, after it snowed in Oklahoma City on New Year’s Day.
In contrast, New Orleans has jandal-friendly winter weather, with highs in the mid-teens and overnight lows around 6degC – a bit like Wellington, where he went to Scots College.
Moving to the Pelicans was the first change of teams in his seven-year NBA career. He was sent to New Orleans with one year remaining on his existing contract, and then quickly signed a twoyear US$35 million extension.
Reaction to the Pelicans tweeting their big centre refusing to bow to winter was varied. On attack were the ‘‘Pelicans won’t be laughing when he gets pneumonia’’ group, on defence were the ‘‘never change big guy’’ bunch.
But the clip did result in a heated debate.
Was Adams wearing flip flops, as the Pelicans stated?
Or were they jandals, as Kiwis said. Or perhaps they were slides? Whatever, Adams keeps giving the US a taste of Kiwi, no matter which NBA franchise he plays for.