Sympathetic Corey Webster pleads with Steven Adams to play for the Tall Blacks - 'We need you brother'

Tall Blacks star Corey Webster has pleaded with Steven Adams to end his international exile while taking aim at Basketball New Zealand for their lack of support,

Adams has developed into an NBA star for the Thunder during his six-year stint in Oklahoma City but has yet to don the black singlet, in part because of a long-held grudge against Basketball New Zealand for a lack of financial support for him as a junior.

A sympathetic Webster, who is returning to the Breakers for the upcoming NBL season, used social media to appeal to the Thunder star.

"Totally understand why the bro @RealStevenAdams feels the way he does about Basketball NZ. Seems like they do nothing to help us. But as a player in the TBs, WE NEED YOU BROTHER!!!," Webster wrote.

Adams discussed his feelings towards Basketball NZ in his book, My Fight, My Life.

The issues stemmed from a lack of financial support, which meant he couldn’t play for the Junior Tall Blacks in 2010.

"I was obviously good enough - a national MVP should be able to make the junior national team - but I couldn't afford it. To represent New Zealand as a young athlete costs a lot of money, not just in basketball but in all sports.

"But there were a lot of players, most of them brown, some of them the best in the country, who never once represented New Zealand because they couldn't afford to trial, let along to fly overseas.