Steven Adams apologized late Monday night for an unfortunate choice of words he used to describe Golden State Warriors guards.
In a postgame interview with ESPN following Oklahoma City's Game 1 win, Adams referred to Warriors guards he had to chase around the perimeter as "quick little monkeys."
Given how offensive those words could have been interpreted, Adams was quick to make amends, telling USA Today's Sam Amick that he was "truly sorry" for any harm done.
"I wasn't thinking straight," Adams told Amick. "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."
Adams, who was born and raised in New Zealand, added that a dialect barrier contributed to the situation.
"Different words, different expressions, and stuff like that," the Thunder big man said. "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."
