Why Steven Adams missed the opening night of the NBA

Steven Adams preferred to watch cartoons rather than the opening day of the 2016-17 NBA season yesterday. Photo / Chris Covatta

You may have expected New Zealand's NBA star Steven Adams to watch the opening game of the NBA season, whether it be to scope out opposition and analyse their players and tactics ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder's fixtures against them, or even just for the entertainment and enjoyment of witnessing a new season of NBA returning to television screens around the world.

Adams, however, had other plans. When asked whether he watched yesterday's star-studded match between the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors, New Zealand's only NBA player stated he didn't, instead preferring to watch Japanese anime show One Piece.

"I was watching cartoons, man," laughed Adams.

"Some Japanese anime, I don't know if you watch that, it's just my stuff. [I was watching] One Piece. It's about pirates and that. One Punch Man as well, another classic."

Steven Adams says he watched Japanese anime "One Piece" instead of Spurs-Warriors. pic.twitter.com/7o2JOE3zgy

— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) October 26, 2016

San Antonio went on to beat the Warriors 129-100, while Adams' Oklahoma City side begin their 2016-17 season with an away match against the Philadelphia 76ers at 1pm NZT today.