He was a raw 17-year-old turning out for the Wellington Saints that night - Dunedin's glimpse of New Zealand basketball's future.
Now a not so raw 24-year-old, the 2.13m big man appears set to return to the city as an NBA star.
The Oklahoma City Thunder centre is coming off his fifth NBA season, having averaged 13.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
On top of that, he tied with Andre Drummond to lead the league with 5.1 offensive rebounds per game.
Known for his toughness, strength and ability to finish around the rim, Adams has become one of the NBA's most popular figures.
His Kiwi wit has gone down well in the United States.
Videos of him seeming to take no notice of getting clobbered on court has allowed him to garner a reputation as one of the league's hard men.
Forming a deadly pick-and-roll duo with reigning league most valuable player Russell Westbrook, he has helped his team to the playoffs the past three seasons.
In the first year of that run he started every game as the team battled the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals.
It was eventually edged in the seventh game.
In the past season, he earned a whopping $NZ32.44 million, part of a four-year $140 million contract.
Adams shot to prominence as a teenager.
Originally from Rotorua, his brother took him to Wellington after his father died where he attended Scots College.
After graduating he attended Notre Dame Prep school, before heading to the University of Pittsburgh.
He spent a year a Pittsburgh, before entering the NBA draft in 2013, when he was selected with the 12th pick by the Thunder.
