Star's shoes giving youngster a leg up

Tafara Gapare got to meet his sporting hero at the academy during Steve Adams' recent stint home. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Star basketballer Steven Adams has pitched in to help another young Kiwi realise his NBA dream.

Eleven-year-old Tafara Gapare is auctioning off a pair of Adams' size 19 shoes, with all money raised going towards a trip for the Wellington youngster to Las Vegas with the New Zealand Basketball Academy Under-13 development team.

Tafara has been selected as a member of one of eight Kiwi teams representing the academy in the July tournament. Each player needs to raise $4200 to take part.

Tafara got to meet his sporting hero at the academy during Adams' recent stint home, when the professional basketballer gave the young player his shoes. The winner of the auction will also get the opportunity to meet Adams and have the shoes signed when he returns this month.

Tafara's mother, Mandy Gapare, is thrilled her son has the opportunity to travel with the academy and believes her son's strong work ethic has been the catalyst for his success.

"I think he's quite dedicated - he loves the sport," she said.

The academy's director of coaching, Kenny McFadden, agrees.

"Him being so young, he's been dedicated to getting up at 6am every morning to come along to training."

Mr McFadden, who lives with Adams in the United States, says the Oklahoma City centre was keen to inspire young basketballers.

"Steven trained in the same gym [as Tafara]," he says. "It was his number one goal while he was back, to work with the kids."

Mr McFadden says the Vegas tournament is the same one in which Adams was first noticed by overseas scouts as a 15-year-old.

Tafara is the youngest player ever to be selected for the trip and hopes for similar success.

The Trade Me auction for Adams' shoes ends at 9.53am tomorrow.