Nearly 300 children from around Rotorua got the chance to train with NBA star Steven Adams today. Video / Kelly Makiha
She might have broken her collar bone at rugby on Saturday, but Kalei Newton wasn’t going to let that stop her training with NBA superstar Steven Adams.
The Ngongotahā Primary School 10-year-old was one of more than 500 children aged between 8 and 14 who rubbed shoulders with Rotorua-bornAdams as part of his Steven Adams Basketball Camps in Rotorua today.
The children were selected from the Bay of Plenty, with each receiving a free singlet, a Steven Adams basketball and goody bag of healthy food including bread, yoghurt and milk.
Kalei Newton broke her collar bone playing rugby on Saturday but the Rotorua rep U12 basketball player wasn’t missing a chance to train with Steven Adams. Photo / Kelly Makiha
The 2.11m (6ft 11in) basketballer grew up on the east side of Rotorua and attended Ōwhata Primary School, Mokoia Intermediate and Rotorua Lakes High schools.
For Newton, the camp was extra special after her under-12 girls Rotorua basketball team won a competition to attend.
During the break, Adams surprised the 12 girls on the team with new basketball shoes.
Steven Adams surprised the under-12 Rotorua girls' team with new basketball shoes.
The camps saw two sessions of more than 250 children spend two hours on the courts with Adams.
He mingled among the rotations of drills giving a mix of encouragement and lippy competitive cheek to the children.
In true Adams humour, he’d allow them to make a break before blocking the ball at the last minute then jokingly yelling “in your face”.
Steven Adams goes for the block. Photo / Kelly Makiha
He had the players laughing as he went along a line taunting them saying, “you’re not going to score today”.
For others, he’d sneak up behind them and bat the ball out of their hands.
One 12-year-old spoken to by the Rotorua Daily Post described Adams as “crack up”.
“I’m going to get him next time though and cross him (with the ball).”
Steven Adams at his basketball camp in Rotorua. Photo / Supplied
Rotorua Basketball Association operations manager Sue Pene said this was the first time Adams had brought the camp to his hometown.
“It’s a great opportunity for our kids to have Steven here and this is the 10th anniversary of his camps.”
She said the camps provided the children with aspirations to one day be like Adams.
“These camps are for the kids to do the best they can and work hard and hopefully they will achieve their goals and dreams.”
There have been 24 camps held from Invercargill to Whangārei, with 10,000 children taking part and giveaways of 11,500 singlets and shirts and 12,500 basketballs.
Adams, 32, made his NBA debut in 2013 and, according to reported records, had made $264 million before this latest signing with the Houston Rockets for $65m.
Steven Adams mingles with the children at his basketball camp in Rotorua. Photo / Supplied
A special ceremony was held for him at Ōwhata Primary School yesterday, attended by some of his former teachers.
He posted a photograph of himself on Instagram that night, standing outside Rotorua Lakes High School with the caption “Alot of good memories here”.
After playing one season with the Wellington Saints in 2011, Adams moved to the United States in 2012 to play college basketball and was eventually picked up by the NBA.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
