Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams has confirmed his intention to play for the Tall Blacks - someday, just not today.
After five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the seven-foot centre has never fronted for the New Zealand national team, despite repeated approaches from coach Paul Henare and Basketball New Zealand.
In his autobiography Steven Adams: My Life, My Fight, he reveals his NBA career is still his main focus and he isn’t ready to commit beyond that.
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"Every time the question comes up, a lot of people don't get my position," he says. "In most sports, representing New Zealand in a black singlet is the peak.
"Athletics, netball, rowing… but there are some sports, like soccer, tennis and basketball, where playing overseas is the ultimate goal. That's the pinnacle of those sports.
"Yes, I would love to represent New Zealand by playing for the Tall Blacks, but right now I don't feel I have time to give it my best and play a full NBA season.
"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 also admits that he doesn't feel a sense of loyalty towards Basketball NZ, having taken a different career path into the top echelon.
"Some might expect me to be the Basketball New Zealand poster child, but I did the opposite of rising through the ranks of national junior teams," he says. "Being in a national team is far too expensive for most kids – me included."
Instead, Adams owed his development to the mentorship of former NBL legend Kenny McFadden, who set up an alternate pathway for young players to realise their dreams.
Steven Adams: My Life, My Fight, co-written by Spinoff's Madeleine Chapman and published by Penguin Random House, has gone on sale this weekend.
Newshub.
