OKLAHOMA CITY — Steven Adams has learned the history of Martin Luther King, Jr. on a different timeline than the average American. Of course, that’s because the Oklahoma City Thunder center is from New Zealand.
“You just heard about it, but our history classes was different. In New Zealand, we obviously heard about him. He’s a very famous dude," Adams said. "I heard about him first probably in high school in New Zealand, then when I learned about him was over here when I was in prep school.”
Paul George considers it an honor to play on Martin Luther King Day. The Thunder did just that Monday, when they took on the Sacramento Kings.
“It’s special,” he said. “What Martin Luther King did for us, for generations to come, the reason why I can play this game and the reason we’re all grateful as Americans, as human beings, as African-Americans. We’re grateful for his contributions into our history.
"So, it’s great. It’s great that we can honor him on this day and basketball is on this day.”
Adams agrees.
“It’s sick. It’s cool,” he said. It’s just one of those special moments.”
• Something different: George does not believe 2018’s Martin Luther King Day is more significant than any previous one just because of the current political climate.
“I think MLK is important any year. It has no greater value because of who’s in office, who’s not in office,” he said. “What he’s done is significant any year, and we’ve got to honor that.”
This year’s Martin Luther King Day, comes on the tails of President Donald Trump using an expletive to refer to certain countries while discussing immigration, according to multiple reports.
Trump told reporters Sunday, “No. No, I'm not a racist. I am the least racist person you have ever interviewed. That, I can tell you.”
• The Butler response: Adams has an unexpected response for Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler, who marveled over the Thunder center’s strength last week.
“I don’t think I’m actually stronger than most guys,” Adams said.
When asked about Adams following the Wolves’ Wednesday night win over the Thunder, Butler said, “That [expletive] is strong” and compared Adams to someone from Krypton, Superman’s home planet.
“It’s a bit too much for me,” Adams smiled.
Adams, who veers toward outlandish modesty, credited his physicality with a love for jiu-jitsu, a Brazilian martial art, which he says he isn’t actually allowed to practice because the chances of injury are too high.
“I understand how to move and where they’re getting their power from, so I take that away. But if it was like a power match I’d probably lose,” Adams said. “Anything power related where they have everything they need and I have everything maxed out and everything I need, I’ll probably lose. I’ll probably just be smart with angles, just so I can get an extra edge.”
• Roberson update: Thunder wing Andre Roberson missed his eighth straight game because of left patellar tendinitis when the Thunder played the Kings on Monday. Roberson has not played since OKC’s Dec. 29 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Rookie wing Terrance Ferguson started in his place for the seventh consecutive time Monday.
The Thunder have not released an estimated timetable on Roberson’s return. OKC next plays Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fred Katz is the Thunder beat writer for the Norman Transcript and CNHI Oklahoma as well as the host of the postgame show, Thunder After Dark, and the OKC Dream Team, a weekly Thunder podcast that runs every Tuesday. Follow him on Twitter: @FredKatz.