Adams explains Tall Blacks snub
Steven Adams said he doesn’t ‘‘feel a great sense of loyalty’’ to Basketball New Zealand as he remains uncapped at international level.
The Oklahoma City Thunder centre has long been the subject of speculation over why he hasn’t represented the Tall Blacks.
In his new book, My Life, My Fight, Adams reveals his issues with age group teams and the national organisation in his early days have a lot to do with his absence at international level.
‘‘It probably doesn’t help that I don’t feel a great sense of loyalty to Basketball New Zealand,’’ Adams said.
‘‘I like what the current Tall Blacks coach, Paul Henare, has been doing with the team and I would love to play for him at some point, but I need to be ready.’’
Adams said he didn’t think he could give his all for the Tall Blacks and play a full NBA season.
‘‘Some might expect me to be the Basketball New Zealand poster child, but I did the opposite of rising through the ranks of the junior national teams.
‘‘Being in a national team is far too expensive for most kids – me included.’’
Adams was scouted in 2010 at a Junior Tall Blacks camp, one he didn’t have to pay for, when coach Kenny McFadden invited University of Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon along.
While that camp helped set Adams up for his future in the game, he never got to play for the team.
‘‘I was obviously good enough – a national MVP should be able to make the junior national team – but I couldn’t afford it.
‘‘To represent New Zealand as a young athlete costs a lot of money, not just in basketball but in all sports.
‘‘Being selected for an agegroup national side to play in an international tournament would cost each player thousands of dollars.
‘‘I knew of players who went on every trip, at least once a year, because their parents could easily afford to pay for each tournament.
‘‘But there were a lot of players, most of them brown, some of them the best in the country, who never once represented New Zealand because they couldn’t afford to trial, let alone to fly overseas. I hate to think how many guys I played with who could have had careers in basketball if they’re just been given more help [like I was] when they were younger.’’
Steven Adams, My Life, My Fight is published by Penguin and is available for $39.99 at all book stores.