Steven Adams Apologizes for Calling Warriors Guards “Quick Little Monkeys”

While it appeared there was no malice intended in his comments—you can check out Adams' interview with Broussard in the video above to judge for yourself—Adams still apologized for them a short time later while speaking with USA TODAY. "It was just a poor choice of words, mate," he said. "I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t know it was going to upset anyone, but I’m truly sorry. It was just a poor choice of words. I was just trying to express how difficult it was chasing those guys around.”

When pressed further on the issue, Adams—who moved to the United States from New Zealand to play college basketball in 2012 before entering the 2013 NBA Draft and joining the Thunder—explained that the cultural differences between the U.S. and his homeland are partly to blame for what he said. He also talked about how he needs to learn to use American phrases more effectively. "It’s just different, mate," he said. "Different words, different expressions, and stuff like that. But they obviously can be taken differently, depending on which country you’re in. I’m assimilating, mate, still trying to figure out the boundaries. But I definitely overstepped them tonight.”

Following Adams' apology, we'll have to wait to see how much (or if) this is still an issue when Game 2 of the Warriors/Thunder series tips off on Wednesday night.

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