Steven Adams won't play for New Zealand in Olympic qualifying tournament
Steven Adams has only been with the Thunder for two full seasons, but he's become a key rotation player for the team during his relatively brief time in Oklahoma City.
He also takes his NBA gig extremely seriously.
So, while plenty of international players jump at the chance to play for their home countries as they attempt to qualify for the Olympics, Adams is foregoing that opportunity this summer in order to focus on the upcoming season.
From the Associated Press:
"Fairfax Media reported Monday that Adams' management company said the 22-year-old was unable to play in the matches at Melbourne on Aug. 15 and Wellington on Aug. 18 because of "scheduling conflicts."
"In the report, Wasserman Media said that because of those conflicts "and Steven's focus on being ready for the start of the 2015-2016 regular season" he would be unable to join the New Zealand team for the Oceania qualifiers."
It's unclear whether the presence of Adams would make a difference in his team's chances of qualifying for the Olympic games, and that might have something to do with his unwillingness to participate.
But either way, his priorities seem to be with the Thunder here in the states.
(h/t: ESPN)
