Fan goes to US to watch NZ star Steven Adams

Ibrahim Solomon decked out in supportive gear for Steven Adams.

A Rotorua resident has travelled more than 12,700km to the United States for one thing: To watch Steven Adams play basketball in the NBA.

Ibrahim Solomon is a final year medical student. The 24-year-old has recently returned from a "holiday of a lifetime" where he spent two weeks following Rotorua-born Adams playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Mr Solomon grew up playing basketball with Adams' older brother, Sid, at Rotorua Boys' High School. He had finished his six-year studies at Auckland University last year before moving back home to complete his qualification at Rotorua Hospital.

"It was a last minute decision really to go over [to the United States] and my Mum came along as it was her birthday," he said.

"We had about three days to get to Salt Lake City to watch his first game. It was pretty amazing and really different from watching it on TV, you really appreciate how big and fast the guys are."

They then travelled to Oklahoma for the home game against the Dallas Mavericks where they were finally able to catch up with the 20-year-old and meet NBA stars such as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

"He's still the same person, he's still really humble," Mr Solomon said.

"When he saw us he said, 'What are you doing here?' We said 'We're here to watch you'. He couldn't believe that people would come and watch him play.

"But he told us the NBA was pretty hard out, with training really strict but they had scheduled days off," Mr Solomon said.

"He also taught [forward] Perry Jones the haka and he really likes doing it now."

Dressed in Adams' number 12 Thunder singlet and holding up a sign saying, "Made in Rotorua", Mr Solomon and his mother quickly caught the attention of fans, and local media also couldn't believe they travelled from New Zealand.

"Oklahoma fans are known as the most supportive of their basketball team, and the atmosphere is just amazing. Even two hours before a game, they will close streets down and have bands and start cheering for them.

"They really love Steven."

Mr Solomon said they were invited to dinner after the game by locals who had visited Rotorua and were wanting to re-pay the kind hospitality they had received.

"Steven's doing really well over there, making it to the NBA All Stars Weekend is great."