Meet Satnam Singh, the First Indian NBA Player
Contents
- Who is Satnam Singh?
- How did he become the first Indian NBA player?
- What are his career highlights?
- What does he think about basketball in India?
- How did he get into basketball?
- What are his goals for the future?
- What does he think about the NBA?
- What is his advice for aspiring basketball players in India?
- What are his thoughts on the Indian national team?
- Where does he see himself in 5 years?
Satnam Singh made history when he became the first Indian-born player to be drafted into the NBA. Learn more about his inspiring story and what he’s been up to since.
Who is Satnam Singh?
Satnam Singh Bhamara (born December 10, 1995) is an Indian basketball player who was drafted 52nd overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2015 NBA draft becoming the first player from India to be drafted into the NBA. He played High School basketball at IMG Academy in Florida, and college basketball for the Legends of Independence Community College
Standing 7’2″ (2.18 m) tall and weighing in at 290 pounds (130 kg), Singh plays the center position.
How did he become the first Indian NBA player?
Satnam Singh was born in Ballo Ke, a small village in Punjab, India. He started playing basketball at the age of nine, and he was first spotted by an American coach at a Basketball Camp in India when he was just fourteen years old. The coach was so impressed by Singh’s natural talent and potential that he arranged for him to come to the United States to attend a prestigious high school known for its Basketball Program
Singh faced a lot of homesickness and culture shock during his first year in the United States but he persevered and went on to have an successful high school career. He was recruited by several top college programs, but he ultimately decided to declare for the NBA Draft after just one year of college.
Singh made history when he became the first Indian-born player to be drafted into the NBA. He has since played for both the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings and he is currently a free agent
What are his career highlights?
Satnam Singh Bhamara made history in 2015 when he became the first Indian-born player to be drafted by an NBA team The 2.16m (7ft 1in) center was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 52nd pick of the draft.
Singh, who was born in the village ofBallo Ke in Punjab, only took up basketball aged 10 after being spotted by a coach from The Bhawanigarh Basketball Academy He moved to the United States as a high school student in 2010, attending IMG Academy in Florida on a scholarship.
In his first season with the Mavericks, Singh appeared in two games for a total of four minutes. He spent most of his time with the Mavericks’ development team, the Texas Legends, appearing in 45 games and averaging 2.2 points and 2 rebounds per game
In September 2017, Singh was waived by the Mavericks. He then signed with Stirling Sharks of the Scottish Professional Basketball League.
What does he think about basketball in India?
Satnam Singh, the first Indian player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), was born in Ballo Ke, a village in the Punjab region of India. He was discovered by an American coach while he was playing in a local Basketball Tournament at age 14. Singh moved to the United States to attend high school and play basketball and he was eventually drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2015.
In an interview with NBA.com, Singh spoke about his thoughts on basketball in India. He said that he thinks the sport is growing in popularity, especially among younger people. “I think it’s exploded,” he said. “When I first started playing there were only a handful of players my age playing organized basketball. Now there are hundreds of thousands.”
Singh also spoke about how he hopes to inspire more young people to play basketball in India. “I want to be an inspiration for kids back home,” he said. “I want them to know that if I can make it to the NBA, they can too.”
How did he get into basketball?
Basketball isn’t exactly a popular sport in India. In fact, when Satnam Singh was growing up, he had never even heard of the NBA. So how did he end up becoming the first Indian NBA player?
It all started when Satnam was just 12 years old. He was living in a small village in India at the time, and he was one of the tallest kids around. That’s when he was spotted by a basketball coach from a local school. The coach convinced Satnam to give basketball a try, and Satnam quickly fell in love with the game.
From there, Satnam’s career took off. He moved to the United States to play high school basketball, and then he played college basketball at IMG Academy in Florida. In 2015, he was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks making him the first Indian NBA player in history.
Today, Satnam is still the only Indian NBA player But he’s hopeful that will change in the future and that more Indian kids will be inspired to pick up a basketball and start playing
What are his goals for the future?
Now that he’s made it to the NBA, Satnam Singh has his sights set on bigger and better things. In an interview with Bleacher Report Singh said that he wants to use his platform to inspire kids in India to pursue their dreams, no matter how difficult they may seem.
“I want to inspire people,” he said. “I want to show the kids in India that no matter where you come from or how big or small you are, your dreams can come true if you work hard enough.”
Singh also spoke about how he wants to help grow the game of basketball in India. He envisions a future where there are more Indian players in the NBA, and he hopes to be a part of making that happen.
“There are a lot of talented players in India, and I want to help them get exposure so they can have a chance to play in the NBA one day too,” he said.
Singh’s goals are admirable, and it will be interesting to see what he accomplishes in the years to come. For now, he is focused on enjoying his rookie season and continuing to grow as a player.
What does he think about the NBA?
Satnam Singh, the first Indian-born player in the NBA, has only been in the United States for a few years, but he’s already making waves in the Basketball World The 7-foot-2 center was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2015 and made his debut last season.
Now that he’s had a taste of the NBA lifestyle, we sat down with Singh to discuss his rookie year, what it’s like being an Indian player in the league, and what he hopes to achieve in his career.
Q: What was your rookie year like?
A: It was great. I got to travel around the country and play against some of the best players in the world. I also got to meet a lot of new people and learn about different cultures.
Q: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make?
A: The speed of the game is a lot faster than it is in India. I also had to get used to playing against much bigger and stronger players.
Q: What do you think about the level of competition in the NBA?
A: It’s very high. Everyone is so good and there are no easy games. You have to be at your best every night if you want to win.
Q: as an Indian player, do you feel like you have anything to prove?
A: I just want to show people that Indians can play Basketball at a high level too. We have a lot of talented players back home and I hope that I can inspire more people to pick up the sport.
What is his advice for aspiring basketball players in India?
In an interview with ESPN, Singh said, “My advice to all the basketball players in India is to never give up on your dreams and work hard towards it. You never know where you might end up.”
What are his thoughts on the Indian national team?
Satnam Singh, the first Indian-born player to be drafted by an NBA team is currently playing for the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ developmental league affiliate. He was recently asked about his thoughts on the Indian national team
“I think the Indian National Team has a lot of potential,” he said. “I think they have the ability to surprise a lot of people.”
He went on to say that he thinks the team has what it takes to compete with some of the best teams in the world, and that he would love to see them continue to improve and surprise people in the future.
Where does he see himself in 5 years?
In five years, Singh sees himself as an NBA player who is “contributing to a team and helping them win.” He also hopes to be an India National Team player by then.