Steven Adams braves freezing temperatures in the American Midwest - in his slides

January 2, 2021
Icy midwinter in the American Midwest makes for perfect slide-wearing conditions for Steven Adams.

It’s January and jandals and slides are the preferred footwear options for Kiwis everywhere – from Mount Maunganui to the American Midwest and its icy midwinter, apparently.

At least that’s the case for New Zealand NBA star Steven Adams, who chose a pair of slides as the victorious Pelicans flew out of Oklahoma City.

In a short video posted to the New Orleans Pelicans’ social media accounts, Adams can be seen in his slides traipsing through puddles on the icy airport runway in OKC.

The slides were a brave choice, with temperatures in his former hometown ranging from -2 degrees Celsius to 1 degree, with light snow falling.

Adams has long been an NBA fashion anti-hero, eschewing paid designers and the highly tailored wardrobes most players prefer, for the more humble and homely choices of Hunting and Fishing gears and slides.

Except for that one time that Adams’ former OKC teammate Chris Paul bought the team tailored suits. The big Kiwi described his look on that occasion as “dapper” after adding a Peaky Blinders-inspired hat , which he bought at the barber one time, to the outfit.

On the court, Adams enjoyed facing his old team for the first time, notching his first double-double for the Pelicans, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds in the 113-80 win.

On the weather front, Adams is sure to enjoy the temperate climate in his new hometown, with the Big Easy enjoying a high of 19 degrees and a mild low of 10 today.

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