PHOTO: NBA basketballer Steven Adams. SUPPLIED
Superstar Kiwi-born NBA basketballer Steven Adams knows that it takes a village to get a youngster into the coveted American basketball system and he’s committed to giving a helping hand to up-and-coming talent from around New Zealand.
Recently traded to the Houston Rockets, Adams fronts the Sports Pathways Trust, a New Zealand charity that helps budding ‘ballers navigate the US college recruitment process so they can combine education with sport and hopefully, get the same opportunities that he has benefitted from.
Seeing great synergy between what Adams’ charity is doing for aspiring basketballers and the high-performance mindset that Bayleys fosters among its real estate team, Bayleys has hosted the annual Reach for the Stars Roof Raiser Charity Auction for the last four years, raising more than $500,000 for the Sports Pathways Trust to date.
This year’s event will be held this Wednesday (14 August) at the rooftop bar of the QT Hotel Auckland.
Lloyd Budd, chief executive officer Bayleys Real Estate Auckland says, “Steven is undoubtedly one of our finest athletes, being the only first-round pick and lottery pick to come out of New Zealand in NBA draft history. But he has never forgotten his roots and knows how hard it is for aspiring young athletes to make it on the international stage, while still pursuing academic qualifications. Sports Pathways does a stellar job of identifying a clear roadmap through the New Zealand high school system and optimises the channels so talented young people can engage in the US college recruitment process to become student athletes so they can further their education and their basketball.”
Adams says it is humbling to see the support for the Sports Pathway charity and the Reach for the Stars event from the wider community.
“This event has already raised more than half a million dollars, and that has helped to support New Zealand kids’ basketball dreams. I want to see young people reach their potential through education and sport so they can experience the connections, the friendships and the opportunities that basketball has given me.”