Steven Adams to run youth basketball camps in Whangārei

Kiwi Oklahoma City Thunder NBA basketball star Steven Adams, seen here during a youth training camp last year in Auckland, will host similar camps in Whangārei later this month.

He's idolised by millions around the world and is set to earn US$53 million during the next two years, but later this month NBA superstar centre for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Steven Adams, is coming to Whangārei to run training camps for the region's youth.

Adams will run two training camps on August 24, at ASB Stadium in Kensington, to pass on tips to Northland's budding young basketballers and to promote the game in the region.

And as befitting a global superstar you can't just ring him up and invite him, with the whole process taking almost a year to pull off, Northland Basketball general manager Josh Port said.

Port said this will be a great opportunity for children to get up close and personal with someone they have only ever seen on TV.

He said the Cameron Academy (run by former Tall Black Pero Cameron's mum Mata), Northland Basketball and Sport Northland had been working together for almost a year to get the visit sorted.

Port said that when Adams was in the country about a year ago for some training clinics, Ray Cameron, from the academy, started talking to Adams' team to see if he would be interested in running similar sessions in Whangarei. Port's excited and he expected the region's basketball community to be equally impressed.

''I'm pumped to have him coming here. It's amazing we have been able to get somebody of his magnitude. He's the most recognisable Kiwi sportsperson in the world and having somebody of his stature come can only help promote the game here.''

Port said Adams intended to unveil a special, basketball training system at the sessions, and although he could not reveal what it was, he said people would find it interesting.

''Having someone with that profile would also be great exposure for Northland Basketball as an organisation. The camp will be free to attend but tickets will be done via a ballot system through Northland Basketball.''

Port said Adams is a really down-to-earth man who worked well with kids and it would be amazing for Northland's young basketballers to get up close to him.

''He's inspirational to the youngsters. If they can see him close up they can see what they too can achieve with hard work.''

The morning camp, from 9am-11am is for children aged 8 to 12, with the afternoon camp, from noon-2pm, for teens aged 13 to 17. The camps are limited to 150 kids each.

Details of how to register in the ballot will be revealed in coming days.

• Adams' salary for the remaining two years of his contract with OKC has been estimated to be around US$53.37m.