Steven Adams has a knack for humour that often flies under the radar.
The New Zealand native, who sports a look straight out of Game of Thrones as a Dothraki extra, recently shared a funny anecdote on The Morning Shift Podcast. During his rookie season, Adams cleverly avoided a potentially rough encounter with NBA legend and notorious trash-talker Kevin Garnett by pretending not to speak English.
Adams recalled his first matchup with Garnett, where he was understandably intimidated. “My confidence wasn’t high, so I wasn’t trying to get torn down,” Adams said. As Kendrick Perkins, a former teammate of Garnett’s, and Garnett himself started talking trash, Adams decided to take a different approach.
“[Garnett] was like, ‘Yo, look at this m***********,’ and I was like, ‘No English, bro. Sorry. No English,’” Adams recounted with a laugh. Surprisingly, Garnett backed off, leaving Steven Adams relieved. “That would’ve ruined me, bro. I would’ve cried,” he admitted.
Haaaaaa! Gonna catch his ass at LA Fitness in the old head run… 🤣🤣🤝🏾 https://t.co/9UP9WxWOjq
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) August 7, 2024
When Garnett heard about the story, he jokingly threatened to find Adams in an “old-man game,” quipping, “Ha! Gonna catch his ass at LA Fitness in the old head run…”
Adams, who missed the entire last season due to knee surgery, was traded by the Memphis Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets mid-season. He’s set to earn $12.6 million this year and, if healthy, could play a backup role to Alperen Sengun at center, sharing minutes with Jock Landale and Jabari Smith Jr.
Adams’ tale highlights not just his quick thinking but also his understated sense of humor, making him one of the more entertaining personalities in the league.
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