OKC big man Adams open to play for NZ Tall Blacks: ‘If timing is right’
New Zealand’s top big man Steven Adams is open to playing for the national team as long as his schedule permits.
Adams is an integral part of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA, which is in midst of the offseason.
“If the timing is right,” said Adams during his media availability Tuesday at NBA Store Glorietta in Makati City.
The 7-foot center missed the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Manila in July of last year after reportedly begging off from his duties with the Tall Blacks due to a scheduling conflict.
New Zealand will compete in the 2017 Fiba Asia Cup in Lebanon from Aug. 8-20 and Tall Blacks head coach Paul Henare thinks there’s no better time for Adams to finally suit up for his country.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Steven Adams. Photo by Mark Giongco
“I would like to think the Asian champs is a good option for him,” Henare told Stuff, a New Zealand-based news website. “It doesn’t directly clash with anything, the pressure is off, and it’s away from home soil.”
“But he’s got to weigh things up. Every off-season he’s had has been really busy in terms of his camps, and building his brand and things like that. In terms of having direct conversations with him personally we’ll have to wait till after his season,” Henare said in the same interview.
Fiba made major changes with its tournament format and timeline. Among the changes are the merging of Oceania, with Australia as its other country, and Asia in one zone.
“We got bored just by playing against Australia. We lost every year,” said Adams with a laugh.
The 23-year-old Adams signed a four-year, $100 million contract with the Thunder in November 2016.
