New Zealand-born NBA star Steven Adams has hit back at the latest round of player reactions after the Tall Blacks stunned the US men’s basketball team with a rendition of the haka at the FIBA basketball World Cup in Spain.
The Tall Blacks performed the traditional ancestral war dance on-court ahead of Wednesday morning’s clash with the star-studded Team USA, drawing hilarious reactions from the tournament favourites.
From former MVP Derrick Rose to Rockets All-Star guard James Harden, the majority to the US players looked bemused at the spectacle.
But the most inconsiderate reaction came when 2012 gold medallist Andre Iguodala, watching from home, tweeted that the customary pre-game tradition was nothing more than a hip hop dance.
That drew a response from Oklahoma City Thunder star big man Steven Adams (not in Spain for the World Cup) who chimed in to defend his heritage, telling Iguodala to “show some respect for my culture”, later deleting the comment.
Adams made numerous headlines during his rookie NBA season, and not always for his consistent play. The 213cm 21-year-old quickly became a fan favourite in OKC by constantly irritated some of the league’s biggest names with his physical style of play. The Thunder face Iguodala’s Golden State Warriors on November 23.
