※ 引述《thnlkj0665 (灰色地帶)》之銘言：
姊姊將出征奧運賽場 亞當斯表示絕對緊盯賽況
記者陳元廷／綜合外電報導
「我當然會密切關切瓦萊麗賽況，我另一個姊姊莉莎也有參加帕奧，所以她們兩個比賽我
肯定不會錯過」，亞當斯說，他之前也曾經透露從姊姊身上學到努力重要，「我自認很努
力，很多人也覺得我很認真，但瓦萊麗勤奮程度完全是不同等級的」。
推 KirkSynder : 鴨蛋是不是沒有打過紐西蘭國家隊他好像是目前僅存的 07/20 15:15
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推 Picklerick : 回K大 紐西蘭籃球國家隊今年因為疫情考量退出奧運入 07/20 19:55
感謝p大回覆，印象中Steven Adams進入nba以來似乎都沒披上紐西蘭國家隊戰袍過，
而且通常都是表示要備戰下一季所以不克出賽，所以google了一下，發現一篇文章
https://bit.ly/3zhvM0t
https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nba-star-steven-adams-explains-why-h
先講結論
小亞當本來是國家青年隊的成員，但是因為財政因素，所以球員得自費打球。
但是年青的小亞當沒錢，所以只能黯然退出…(不是，這怎麼好像比我們還扯，
紐西蘭也不是什麼窮困的國家吧?)
以下簡略翻譯
水行俠解釋為何不打紐西蘭國家隊
NBA star Steven Adams explains why he has snubbed New Zealand’s national team
foxsports.com.au
亞當解釋為何至今尚未披上國家隊戰袍。在他的新書我的奮鬥(誤)中，首次深入回應
了為何至今對國家隊的徵召給軟釘子
紐西蘭先鋒報刊出一篇報導 (報導連結 https://bit.ly/3wS7poz)
引述小亞當的教練Kenny McFadden說「他沒錢可以自費幫
國家打球，所以就不打了」而這個事件激怒了小亞當。而現在水行俠的第一要務是好
好增進球技，幫助雷霆明年有更好的成績。
亞當回憶起不能在教練麾下為國出征的往事，「我沒錢啊，要代表國家青年隊要自費
，不只是籃球，所有的運動項目都一樣，為國出征要花上數以千元啊」
有些球員各種賽事都能夠參加，特別是有錢人家的小孩，但是有些則否，特別是那些
棕色皮膚的人，其中不乏表現最好的。我每次一想到那些曾經和我並肩作戰的傑出戰
友，理應有著光明燦爛的未來，如果當初他們能夠獲得一點援手，這實在太令人不爽
了。
水行俠表示未來有一天他會願意披上國家隊的戰袍，但是現在的他對雷霆隊有更多的
責任與義務，比起對國家隊。我很喜歡國家隊教練Paul Henare，我也願意為他打球
但是現在的我沒時間。
有些人可能認為我是紐西蘭的籃球寵兒，享盡各種資源。完全反了，我是努力掙扎才
能有出頭日，在我們那邊，你得要傾全村之力才能培養你打球，如果想要出國比賽，
全村的人又要召集起來努力籌錢才辦得到。沒有他們，我辦不到。kenny教練日復一日
地努力栽培球員，我們都很感激有他。球員一路走來總是需要貴人的幫忙，而大部份
的貴人甚至不求回報，而我也想成為那樣的人，現在我算是有點錢和名氣，我會好好
發揮最大效益幫助更多的人。如果小傢伙們努力奮鬥需要指點，我來；如果小球員沒
錢買裝備或是出不起旅費，我出。
我們紐西蘭不是沒人，但是需要系統性的幫助小球員走向正確的道路，讓他們不會只
是因為生在窮鄉僻壤的沒錢家庭就失去了機會，如果讓我來的話，我想紐西蘭在我有
生之年必會成為籃球強國，這是我最想做到的
KIWI NBA star Steven Adams has revealed why he is yet to pull on the Tall
Blacks singlet.
In his autobiography Steven Adams: My Life, My Fight, Adams has delved
in-depth for the first time on why he has snubbed New Zealand’s national
basketball team.
Adams confirmed a report by the NZ Herald earlier this month, which outlined
that Adams held a grudge against Basketball New Zealand for not being able to
financially support him at a young age.
Adams’ mentor Kenny McFadden said that when his young charge wanted to play
for New Zealand, “he got no money and couldn’t play”.
McFadden said it was a snub which had irked then teenaged Adams.
He said the NBA star now felt more obligated to the Oklahoma City Thunder,
where Adams’ priorities were to be the best player he could be and help
contribute to a successful 2018-19 season.
Now, Adams has elaborated on the reasons for not joining the Tall Blacks,
recalling the time that he couldn’t link up with McFadden’s Junior Tall
Blacks side.
“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
age-group national side to play in an international tournament would cost
each player thousands of dollars,” Adams said.
“I knew of players who went on every trip, at least once a year, because
their parents could easily afford to play 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
could have had careers in basketball if they’d just been given more help
(like I was) when they were younger.”
Steven Adams is yet to represent his country.Source: AFP
Adams says he will play for the Tall Blacks “some day”, but says that many
people don’t understand his position, stressing that he has more loyalty to
his Thunder side in the NBA than he does to the Tall Blacks.
“In most sports, representing New Zealand in a black singlet is the peak.
Athletics, netball, rowing … But there are some sports, such as soccer,
tennis and basketball, where playing overseas is the ultimate goal. That’s
the pinnacle of those sports,” Adams said.
“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. It probably doesn’t help that I don’t feel a great sense of
loyalty to Basketball New Zealand. 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.
“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.
“It takes a village to raise a child, apparently. And it takes a village to
fundraise for one too. New Zealand does best when everyone is invested. I had
my own little community of helpers who pushed me towards my passion, but that
’s not a cost-effective approach. Kenny still takes every morning training,
like he has for over a decade, and I know there will be plenty more
basketballers thanking him for their success in years to come. But, for now,
his project from 2008 has one focus and that focus is the Thunder and the NBA.
”
Steven Adams feels let down by New Zealand.Source: Twitter
Now, Adams wants to give back to young basketballers who are in the same
situation he found himself in earlier in his career.
“Paying it forward is what I like doing. Giving a leg-up to people who are
doing everything they can but could do with some support. There’s not a
single successful person who didn’t get help from a bunch of people along
the way,” Adams said.
“But I know that most of the people who helped me did so because they wanted
to, not because they thought they might be rewarded later. Now I want to be
that person for a bunch of other kids. It’s human nature to help others, and
now that I have money and some influence, I want to use it to help as many
people as possible.
“If I can see that kids are fighting and trying to be better, I’ll do
whatever I can to help them along. When a young player needs new shoes or can
’t afford stationery or a basketball trip, that’s when I’m willing to
spend my money.
“We have the talent in New Zealand, there’s no doubt about that, we just
need the systems and pathways in place so that kids can stay on track and not
lose out because they’re poor or live in the wrong city.
“If I have my way, New Zealand will be a basketball nation among the best in
the world before I die. That’s the kind of legacy I want to help build.”
This article first appeared in the NZ Herald and was republished with
permission
foxsports.com.au