India's rosters announced for inaugural Jr. NBA World Championship in Florida, USA

Can you imagine the basketball future? The ways in which the game will evolve? How the strategies will change, what type of new players will be the dominant force? Where would these players even come from? Around the world, junior players rise up the ranks in grassroots schools and other tournaments in their respective countries, all until they are old enough to represent their nation or play professionally at a big stage. Now, for the first time, the NBA will bring together the top young talents from around the world under one metaphorical roof, providing a glance of the future of the game.

And yes, India will play a part in this event, too.

From August 7-12, 2018, the NBA will host the inaugural Jr. NBA World Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. On Thursday, the NBA announced rosters of all 32 teams that will compete in this first-of-its kind global youth basketball tournament for the top 13-14 year-old boys and girls teams from around the world. There will a total of 317 young players from 35 countries. NBA India also announced the junior boys and girls teams who won their domestic challenge and will represent India at the World Championship.

Current and former NBA and WNBA stars like stars like Dwyane Wade, Andre Drummond, Vince Carter, Brook Lopez, Grant Hill, Tamika Catchings, Swin Cash and Jennifer Azzi will participate in on and off-court activities with the young players.

The inaugural event will bring together the top 32 boys and girls teams (16 U.S. and 16 international) that advanced from regional competitions earlier this year. The 16 international teams (eight boys and eight girls teams) represent Africa and Middle East, Asia Pacific, Canada, China, Europe, India, Mexico and South America. 16 US teams won newly created regional tournaments to advance to Orlando.

"After several months of highly competitive regional competitions around the world, we are excited to bring together a field of 32 teams that not only excel on the court, but also represent the Jr. NBA’s core values of teamwork, respect, determination and community," said Kathy Behrens, NBA President, Social Responsibility and Player Programmes. "We are looking forward to an exciting week of on- and off-court activities that will provide these young players with a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

"The Jr. NBA World Championship is more than a basketball competition; it’s a global stage for some of the top youh players from around the world to showcase their talent, have fun and learn from one another," said Wade. "I am excited to watch these young stars leave it all on the court and compete for the first Jr. NBA World Championship title."

The Jr. NBA World Championship will feature boys and girls divisions, separated into US and international brackets that begin with round-robin play and continue with single-eliminations competition. The winners of the US and international brackets will play in the World Championship games on Aug. 12.

From Aug. 6-8, each player will participate in three life skills sessions as part of the event’s Developing the Total Athlete Series, covering the total health spectrum of mind, body and spirit in a culturally inclusive environment. The Jr. NBA World Championship Day of Service on Aug. 9 will feature all 32 teams giving back to the local community by collectively building a new playground for community youth at the nearby Oak Street Park. Additionally, Gatorade will host a health and wellness session through the Gatorade Sports Science Institute which will educate participants on hydration measures and provide custom fuelling recommendations for each athlete.

Click here for full rosters of all 32 teams.

India's Girls Roster

• Vedaa Anand
• Shreya Ashok
• Nuha Asif Masood
• Shreya Bose
• Sunishka Karnik
• Diya Kothari
• Meghana Manjunatha
• Moumita Mishra
• Hamsa Nanjudaiah
• Smriti Vemula
• Coach: Prasanna Venkatesh
• Assistant Coach: Sonal Nambiar

India's Boys Roster

• Sehajbir Singh Bedi
• Bhavik Garg
• Jeevanshu Khatri
• Nikhil Kumar
• Dinesh Pal
• Yatish Sakhuja
• Abhishek Singh
• Arpit Singla
• Laivish Vats
• Sachin Yadav
• Coach: Siddharth Dalal
• Assistant Coach: Devojyoti Karmarkar

Is Satnam Singh going to become a WWE Wrestler? The hoops nation wants to know

Sigh.

Satnam Singh, the first Indian to be drafted into the NBA, a player for the D-League squad Texas Legends, and the star of the inspirational documentary "One in a Billion", now seems to have enough time in his hands (he has played less than four minutes total for the Legends in the D-League season) to try out another outlet that could magnify his size, strength, and international appeal: WWE Wrestling.

Last week, Satnam, who plays and lives in Frisco, Texas, traveled to Orlando, Florida for a special event with other international athletes at the WWE Performance Center. With the permission of the Legends, Satnam participated in a workout session at the facility, which was opened in 2013 and is home to WWE’s talent developmental system.

The story was covered in much greater detail on the Indian Express by Shahid Judge, a write-up that included WWE's statement: "Satnam Singh participated in the workouts alongside WWE recruits this week, taking their exploratory steps inside the squared circle. Satnam was at the WWE Performance Centre in Orlando for tryouts from January 3. He had a few pro athletes along with him and if selected, he’ll be offered a contract and he’ll become a Superstar of WWE."

Satnam was joined at the visit to the WWE in Orlando by “American Ninja Warrior” sensation Kacy Catanzaro, and New Orleans Saints linebacker Kasim Edebali.

Now, I don't have any particular qualms with the WWE; as a matter of fact, I've been a fan of fake professional wrestling (sorry, children, spoiler alert!) since I was kid, since it was called 'WWF', since the days of British Bulldog, Tatanka, and The Undertaker all the way through to the years of Stone Cold, The Rock, Chris Jericho, and the Dudley Boyz. I've been choke-slammed in "practice" by my elder brother and have tag-teamed with friends to '3D' unsuspecting classmates. I'm appreciative of its existence in the realm of 'sports entertainment', as long as we all know that its less competitive sport and more scripted entertainment.

But now, with the WWE lurking to potentially entice India's most-famous basketball name, I wonder if his basketball dreams are going to be sacrificed, if 'sports entertainment' will take the place of 'sports'.

Satnam's manager Sunny Gill, however, made it very clear to Judge in the Indian Express story that basketball remains the big man's top priority.

They (WWE) were very interested in him and invited him to check out their facility. They made him an offer, but we did not accept. Right now he’s pursuing his NBA dream and basketball is the main focus,” says Sunny Gill, Bhamara’s manager.
Bhamara though enthusiastically travelled to Orlando, as he holds the possibility of developing a professional wrestling career once he’s done with playing NBA-level basketball. “Satnam also wanted to see the setup there. It’s a good Plan B to have, once basketball ends for him,” Gill adds. “We told them that right now basketball is the focus, but that he can make a few appearances for them during the off-season. When it does not interfere with basketball.”
With the permission of the Texas Legends (his development league team) management, Bhamara participated in a workout session at the WWE’s facility. “His agent was with him, and that’s a high-level NBA agent. So there was nothing done that could jeopardize his basketball career,” Gill asserts.

With his playing time in the D-League limited, the WWE can definitely seem like an enticing, and maybe even a more lucrative option. The WWE is a more popular brand than the NBA with folks back home in India, too. But as long as he has the chance to make the most of his basketball talents, to become the first Indian to play in the NBA, to make history, I believe he should keep his hoops dreams as his main focus. Hopefully, nothing he does in the ring jeopardises his future on the court.

We've heard a part of this story before. A giant Singh from a poor Indian family goes to the USA and becomes a pro wrestler. That other Singh was Dalip Singh Rana, who became known as The Great Khali, who joined the WWE in 2006, won their World Heavyweight Title, and also appeared in various films and TV shows. Khali was a major marketing success for the WWE, and with a fervent fan following back in India, Satnam could be, too.

But for now, I am hoping against it. As great as it would be to see Satnam gain 'sports entertainment' popularity, I would much rather see him slamming a basketball on DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis than body-slamming AJ Styles and John Cena.

Satnam Singh returns to the Dallas Mavericks' Summer League roster

A year ago, Satnam shattered a proverbial glass ceiling to become the first Indian to be drafted into the NBA, by the Dallas Mavericks. Satnam never actually earned a call-up to the Mavericks and instead played bit minutes for their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends.

Now, for the second year in a row, he'll take part in the Mavericks' Summer League squad in Orlando and Las Vegas for another shot to prove he can run with some of the best young basketball players in the world. The grind continues...

The Dallas Mavericks announced their full roster for the upcoming NBA Summer Leagues, in Orlando (July 2-8) and Las Vegas (July 8-18). Satnam, 20, will be part of the roster for both competitions, and he will be joined in Orlando by other young standouts including Brandon Ashley (Satnam Legends teammate and D-League All Star), Jaleel Cousins (DeMarcus' younger brother), Cory Jefferson, and Marquis Teague (who has played for the Bulls and Nets in the NBA).

Satnam, who was the 52nd pick in the 2015 draft, played a minor role for Dallas's Summer League team in Las Vegas last year, and took some baby steps to improvement. The Mavericks were knocked out at the 2015 Vegas league's Quarter Final stage. Satnam played bit minutes in five of Dallas' six games and showed hints of his potential. He played an average of seven minutes per game at the Summer League, scoring 2.6 points and grabbing 2.4 rebounds per game.

For the Texas Legends last season, Satnam played in 19 games during the course of the season and started twice. He averaged just under eight minutes per game and put up 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest. Those aren't particularly impressive statistics, but most importantly for the young Punjabi, he was able to experience professional life and the pace of the D-League, and has been hard at work this summer to return to the court better than ever.

Hopefully, Satnam's increased experience and improving skills will earn him more on-court action this Summer League. If he is able to make a mark, there's a chance that the Mavericks may finally consider a call-up during the course of the season. History awaits to make him the first Indian citizen in an NBA game.

But for now, the grind continues...

Orlando Magic to host 2nd 'India Day' on January 19th

Hey, if we Indians can't make our way into the NBA with basketball talent, let's make sure to do it culture.

The Orlando Magic, joining hands with the Indian American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), will host the second annual 'India Day' programme at Orlando's home game against the Boston Celtics on January 19th. The event follows the success of the Magic's India Day last season and the growing interest of NBA teams to reach out to fans of Indian origin (and perhaps to Indians back home, too).

Orlando's interest into the Indian community and culture follows the three years of 'Bollywood Nights' that were held the Golden State Warriors when Vivek Ranadive was their minority owner. Ranadive since went on to become the first Indian-born majority owner in the NBA when he purchased the Sacramento Kings and has brought all kinds of India swag to Sac-Town, from Shaq playing cricket to cheerleaders regularly performing Bollywood dance numbers.

The Magic could certainly do with some distractions: they currently stand at the bottom of the Southeast division, but at least have the piece in Aaron Afflalo, Victor Oladipo, and Nikola Vucevic (plus a high pick in next year's loaded draft) to build something interesting for the future.

This season's India Day in Orlando will feature an appearance by 2014 Miss American Nina Davuluri, the Indian-American from New York, who unfortunately become more famous for receiving racist backlash than for actually winning a beauty pageant. Davuluri will share the story of her rise to fame and her platform on racial diversity with Magic fans. There will also be a street festival that will include Henna tattoo artists, Indian dances and Indian cuisine.

Dr. Amish M. Parikh, an Orlando resident and one of the organizers of the event, said, "We were encouraged last year that we were able to bring everybody together on one day and celebrate the Indian American community. And it was a sporting event that brought all of us together. "Sports create a venue where we can all enjoy a good time and be happy and sad together. We’re excited that the Magic are our local sports team that we can all rally around."

The IACC will donate 1,000 tickets of the game to nonprofit organizations throughout Central Florida, up from 600 last year. There will also be a special ticket offer (call 407-916-2679) and a street festival that will include Henna tattoo artists, Indian dances and Indian cuisine.

The Magic's website says that the success in Orlando last year - which featured a street festival and Bollywood-dancing cheerleaders - also caught the eye of teams around the NBA and several other India Nights are being planned this season throughout in the league.

Now if only one of them can invite Aziz Ansari for his views on cultural diversity, Calvin Cambridge, and saris. He might be a Knicks fan, too.

Indian coach Paramdeep Singh participated in NBA's coaches training workshop in Orlando again

For the second time, 34-year-old Indian Basketball coach Paramdeep Singh took part in the NBA's coaches training workshop, organized from November 3-9 in Orlando, Florida, in the USA. Singh was the only Indian coach in the small contingent of coaches - mainly from China - invited to this workshop. This was his second time participating in this workshop, after being invited to the NBA's training sessions in Texas back in 2011.

Singh is currently associated as an assistant coach with India's U18, U16, and U14 teams.

Upon his return to India, Singh spoke to Hindustan Times recently, where he discussed his selection and hopes of a bright future for Indian basketball.

"My selection came as a surprise to me and it was an honour also as no Indian coach has ever been selected for this training workshop. Observers from the NBA were present at the Mumbai workshop, which was organised by the Indian chapter of NBA in 2011, when they spotted me and selected me for the prestigious workshop in US."

Paramdeep, who is working as an inspector with BSF, shared with HT his dream for encouraging young talent to opt for this game. "We aim to spot young talent and train them for future by using techniques and methodologies being used in US and European countries. We are also getting renowned industrial houses as sponsors. With stuff available with us, we can hope that the future of the sport is bright," he said.

14 Indian basketball Coaches to visit US as part of Sports visitor exchange

Basketball continues to bring the two largest democracies in the world together.

While the USA and India may be on opposite spectrums of the scale in the basketball world, the game has proven to be a crucial medium for the two countries in recent years.

As part of its newest step, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, along with the National Basketball Association (NBA), announced that 14 Indian basketball coaches have been chosen for a 10-day basketball Sports Visitor exchange. The delegation of Indian coaches will be in the US from February 17th – 27th, 2012, starting their programme in capital city Washington DC and even travelling to Orlando for the NBA All Star Game, set to be held on Sunday, February 26th.

The US Department of State has announced that the Indian coaches will be meeting US Basketball Coaches during their time in Washington, working with young American athletes, participating in basketball clinics with Special Olympic athletes, and engaging in activities that focus on teambuilding and injury prevention.

This is of course not the first time a programme like this has been organised for the Indian coaches: in mid-2010, American basketball coach JD Walsh, who has been heavily involved in teaching basketball in India, took 10 Indian coaches to the George Mason University (GMU). That initiative was sponsored by the International Sports Initiative grant, awarded through the SportsUnited Division of the US state department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

In recent years, the NBA has also been involved with basketball diplomacy between the US and India: A year ago, NBA legend George Gervin and WNBA player Katie Smith visited India as part of a US Dept of State sports envoy. Last month, former NBA player Muggsy Bogues came to India to also be part of an NBA and US Dept of State collaboration programme as part of a trip made by the US Senate India Caucus to India.