June 30, 2015

Hoopdarshan Episode 10: Satnam in the NBA! Our chat with ESPN contributor Mark Winegardner



Satnam Singh Bhamara made history by becoming the first Indian player to be drafted into the NBA. That was Step 1. What happens now? On Episode 10 of the Indian basketball podcast Hoopdarshan, hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok catch up with ESPN contributor and accomplished novelist Mark Winegardner, who has closely followed Satnam's journey from Ballo Ke Village to the IMG Academy to the NBA Draft for the past four years. Mark recalls his experiences visiting Satnam in his village in Punjab, helps us predict Satnam's future in the NBA, and we discuss what this achievement means for India and the NBA.

Listen in to also hear about our draft night reactions and Satnam's incredible journey to becoming an NBA draftee. Karan and Kaushik also discuss the rest of the NBA Draft as well as the upcoming SABA Qualifiers for India's national men's team in Bengaluru.

Winegardner is an American journalist and novelist based in Florida. He is a contributing writer for ESPN The Mag, a professor at Florida State University, and the author of books like Crooked River Burning, The Godfather Returns, The Godfather's revenge, etc. He visited India and the village of Ballo Ke to write a 2012 story on Satnam Singh Bhamara's roots and his hopes to become the first India in the NBA for ESPN: NEXT magazine.



Hoopdarshan aims to be the true voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

June 29, 2015

No Strings Attached: Who are the top NBA free agents available this summer?


The season of basketball is over, but the season of business is just about to begin. July 1 will mark the beginning of free agency, when a number of contracts of top NBA players will expire and there will be a several restricted or unrestricted free agents on the market. How many of these players will be wearing different NBA jerseys in a few months? Here is my look at the top free agents this summer, where I also predict the chances of them changing teams this offseason.

Check out my full feature on SportsKeeda.

June 28, 2015

4th South Asian Basketball Championship is back on in Bengaluru after Karnataka High Court grants interim relief


Good news ahead! The Karnataka High Court has granted interim relief to the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to host the 4th South Asian Basketball Championship in Bengaluru from July 3-5!

Satnam Singh Bhamara was one of the 24 names announced by the BFI to take part in a senior men's national coaching camp in Bengaluru this month, being held in preparation for the South Asian Basketball Championship in the same city. The only problem was that Satnam was never going to be there. The 7-foot-2 19-year-old phenom had other priorities, like making history for Indian basketball in other ways. On Friday, Satnam became the first Indian citizen to be drafted into the NBA when he was selected 52nd by the Dallas Mavericks at the 2015 NBA Draft. All of India - including other star basketball players in the country - erupted with joy.

While Satnam prepared for the big draft day, the other Indian star players who actually attended this camp in Bengaluru were stuck in a limbo. Where Satnam had succeeded as an individual, the government and the federation in India had failed the rest of the Indian basketball team. Despite winning the right to host the 4th South Asian Basketball Championship, organized by the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA), the political infighting between various BFI factions in India led the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to bar all official basketball events in the country. The SABA Championship - which would pit India against other South Asian nations and act as qualifiers for the upcoming FIBA Asia Championship - were scheduled to be held from July 3-5 at the Sri Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

It was the worst news possible for basketball fans in the country. From our side, we put up a brave face to show that - even if the government stopped the BFI - they couldn't stop Indian basketball, with the #CantStopIndiaBasketball social media campaign. Fortunately, the pressure from those within the legally-acknowledged faction of the BFI - Team Govindraj - were able to score a small victory for themselves just a week before the big tournament.

On the same day (India time) that Satnam was drafted into the NBA, Team Govindraj and the BFI received some good news of their own. The Karnataka High Court has allowed the faction of BFI presided by Karnataka's own K. Govindraj to host the SABA Championship. Indian players who have been at the camp were practicing and preparing under great uncertainty. With the tournament/qualifiers inching closer, this would be a great weight off their shoulders and a chance to focus on basketball instead of the bickering and the politics.

Let Gopalakrishanan R of Ekalavyas tell you more:

BFI Secretary General from the Southern Camp, Mr Chander Mukhi Sharma, hailed the High Court verdict, saying that it proved that the “Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs exceeded its jurisdiction.” He goes on to accuse the Sports Ministry of “damaging the prospect of the game in the country by unnecessarily, illegally and arbitrarily asking BFI not to hold the event.”
This immediately clears visiting team contingents to submit Visa applications online. However, going by the letter, it is next to impossible for Afghanistan to participate at this event, as they need to apply at least 60 days in advance... India will be without its key forwards and centres from Punjab: Satnam Singh... Amjyot Singh and Amritpal Singh are playing in Japan. It is also probable that veteran starters Vishesh Bhriguvanshi and Yadwinder Singh will not be part of the line up, as both these ONGC are yet to join the camp.

India has other problems, too. The team currently doesn't have a head coach, since Scott Flemming left the country last month. While the rest of the country celebrates the potential for growth of Indian basketball following Satnam's achievement, the ground reality at camp in Bengaluru was that there was still a state of disorder and mess. Apart from being without a coach, the team continued to lack match practice without much international exposure and continued to practice and play on less-than-ideal basketball surfaces.

As it was earlier reported, the participating teams at the 4th South Asian Basketball Championship will likely be India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. With a depleted, distracted team, this may be the best opportunity for one of our rivals to spring a surprise and qualify ahead of us for the FIBA Asia Championship. India are still likely to be favourites, but they will need to be careful and remain focused if they want to avoid an upset.

For now, let's celebrate the Karnataka High Court's decision. The qualifiers are back on, and if India win, we will punch in our ticket for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, set to be held in Hunan, China, from September 23 to October 3. Let's hope that the Sports Ministry can do the right thing and lift the ban on Indian basketball events nationwide soon.

June 27, 2015

Bigs are back! Karl-Anthony Towns goes 1st, Satnam Singh goes 52nd, & #IndiaBasketball history is made


The NBA got a whole lot bigger yesterday.

With the first pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Karl-Anthony Towns from Kentucky, a talented 6-foot-11 big man with promises to finally take the team back to the playoffs after 11 years. With the 52nd pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Satnam Singh Bhamara from India, a 7-foot-2 project who made history as he became the first Indian citizen to be drafted into the NBA.

And in between the two bigs, there were a whole lot of other interesting, infuriating, exciting, and disappointing selections – many of them surrounding other big men entering into the NBA. These bigs came in many forms: from post-beasts to stretch shooters, including Jahlil Okafor, Kristaps Porzignis, Willie Cauley-Stein, Frank Kaminsky, Myles Turner, and Trey Lyles in the lottery.

Click here for my quick analysis of the top 14 lottery picks at the 2015 NBA Draft on SportsKeeda.

June 26, 2015

Satnam Singh Bhamara makes history by becoming 1st Indian drafted into the NBA - picked 52nd by the Dallas Mavericks


I love basketball and I love writing about basketball. In my work, there has usually been two different content paths that I have pursued: Indian Basketball and the NBA. Go down the list of my blog posts or my articles for other publications and you will see news, features, and analysis for these two subject matters, which, despite both being about the same sport, have been mutually exclusive.

From today onwards, that mutual exclusivity is going to change forever.

With the 52nd pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Satnam Singh on India. And with that one quick swoop, a shake-hand with the NBA's Deputy Commissioner, and a Mavericks hat over his giant head, history was made. Satnam Singh Bhamara, the 19-year-old, 7-foot-2 Indian from Punjab who has been honing his game at the IMG Basketball Academy in Florida for the past five years, became the first Indian citizen to be drafted into the NBA. A dream that started in tiny Punjabi village has ended up on the podium at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. Satnam has achieved what no Indian in the country's 70-year basketball history achieved before: make it to the NBA.

Satnam surprised many people by declaring for the NBA Draft after he couldn't secure a college scholarship, but he has backed up his decision with hard work and impressive performances at the pre-draft workouts. The Dallas Mavericks were one of the seven teams to host Satnam and it now seems that he convinced them of his potential enough for them to pick him late in the second round.

Satnam has a long way to go, of course. He is nowhere close to being ready for big-time NBA action, or even be ready to crack the Mavericks' top 15 roster. But being drafted has given him some security for his near future and puts him in a good position in Dallas to improve and become a better player. It is likely that the Mavericks will stash him into the D-League for a year or two and see how he develops. The Mavericks' D-League team is the Texas Legends, whose former assistant coach Scott Flemming was also the coach of India's Senior National Men's team.

This is also not a time for Indian basketball to rest on its laurels. Apart from his pre-teens where he dominated in junior tournaments in India for Punjab, the majority of Satnam's development has come thanks to the coaches at the IMG Academy, where he has been since he was 14-years-old. Satnam returned to India regularly to play in domestic national tournaments as well as represent the national squad in international championships, but these trips were more of a hindrance than a benefit. Sure, Satnam gained some experience playing in his country's colours, but the negative attitudes of many domestic coaches and selectors in India, and a threat of injury, kept him away, and he (rightly) focused his efforts completely into training for the NBA. Satnam has broken a major barrier, but Indian Basketball still has a long way to go.

I have written a lot about Satnam in the past, and over the next few days, weeks, months, and (hopefully) years, I will be writing a lot more about him. But for now, let's celebrate the day that an Indian basketball player got drafted into the NBA, become a worldwide trending topic, broke an international barrier for the NBA, and reawakened fans in India about the game of basketball. Let's celebrate Satnam Singh Bhamara for achieving the near-impossible through his natural gifts, his hard work, his dedication, and the right attitude to become the best that he can possibly be. Let's celebrate the fact that Indian basketball and NBA news will never be the same again.

Let's celebrate King Singh! #KingSingh, y'all.


June 25, 2015

1st Mamannan Raja Raja Cholan Cup All India Invitational School Basketball Tournament in Thanjavur next month



The Manannan Raja Raja Cholan Rural Basketball Development Trust (MRRCRBT) will be organizing the 1st-ever Mamannan Raja Raja Cholan Cup All India Invitational School Basketball Tournament in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) next month from July 22-26, 2015. The trust has invited boys and girls school teams from around the country for this under-19 tournament.

The MRRCRBT has also announced prize money of Rs. 25,000, 20,000, 15,000, and 10,000 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishers in both boys' and girls' divisions. The last date of registering for the tournament is July 7.

MRRCRBT is a volunteer based non-profit trust committed to provide and assist unprivileged students to build a strong foundation, personal character, self-confidence, and self-esteem to reach their potential through comprehensive high intensity practices, competitive league, and high caliber tournament games. They have been holding rural basketball events in Thanjavur since 2007.

June 24, 2015

Dropping dimes for Indian basketball: DIME Initiatives announce youth academy in Greater Noida


Indian basketball - for all its trials, tribulations, infighting, and drama - could sure use a helping hand. In basketball vernacular, that helping hand comes in the form of an assist, a pass that leads to a score. The player who scores receives the ultimate credit, but it's the passer - or the 'dimer' - who is heralded as the man behind the action, whose initial efforts let to the final success.

DIME Initiatives are hoping to be that helping hand, the assist to lead forward towards the greater good and success for Indian Basketball. DIME aims to assist individuals and organizations in India achieve their goals within the basketball market. For individuals, the assist will be to basketball players of all levels hoping to obtain their highest basketball potential through training (both elite and introductory) and providing them opportunities domestically and abroad, while becoming better and contributing members of society during and long after their playing careers. For organizations, the assist will be to help them achieve achieving their goals be it marketing themselves, their players, or strategically developing and implementing their basketball programmes.

As their first major step, DIME has announced the DIME Basketball Academy, a summer basketball training programme that will tip off on July 2, 2015 at the Jaypee Greens in Greater Noida (Jaypee Greens - Atlantis The Club) for players between the ages of 5-22. The highlight of this academy will be the expert coaches, including national-level coach and former captain Divya Singh and former Canadian Basketball Player of the Year Inderbir Gill.

According to Himanshu Dabir, the founder of DIME Initiatives, their vision is to create a holistic, basketball experience for players and organizations, which will provide opportunities in and outside of India. They hope to provide opportunities that are outside the reach of politics and nepotism, but driven by merit and hard work.

Check out the flyer attached to this post for contact information and free structure for the academy. Anyone interested in joining email can also emailDIMEAcademies@gmail.com or find out more information through DIME Academies' facebook page.

DIME previously held a summer camp at Jaypee Greens with India's international players Amjyot Singh and Amril Pal Singh serving as coaches. Both players have now headed to Japan to play in their professional basketball summer league.

DIME Academies is the training arm of DIME Initiatives, aiming to implement a western style of training of Indian athletes in preparing them for school, college and professional careers in India and abroad. To ensure that the programs implemented are up to par with top Academies across the world, DIME Academies has two Coaching partners with extensive experience coaching and playing abroad and in India.

Himamshu Dabir (Founder, DIME Initiatives): Dabir has been working with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) since 2012, and as the Chief of Basketball Operations since 2013. He has been uniquely positioned to develop and lead all of BFI’s major grassroot initiatives – including working with FIBA in creating Coaching Educational Structure, developing the format and structure of the BFI-IMG Reliance Indian School & College Basketball Leagues, and identifying/hiring of the Foreign Coaches who lead the Indian National Teams. He has built strong relationships with all the major stakeholders involved in Indian basketball and continues to expand his network across the world. Prior to joining the BFI, Dabir obtained his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a J.D. from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York City. While obtaining his legal degree, he worked as an intern with the New York Knicks and the NBA Coaches Association. Dabir is in charge of all Business aspects of DIME Initiatives and handles the Operations of DIME Academies.

Inderbir Singh Gill (Co-Director of Coaching): Gill is an International Coach for the Jr. NBA India development program. Within this program, Gill was responsible for conducting after school and elite camps to provide basic and advanced training for top players across India. Gill was a former Player of the Year in Canada, 3x All-Canadian Team, 2x Academic All-Canadian and the 2010 Canadian Male Athlete of the Year (across all-sports). Born and raised in Punjab, Inderbir moved to Seattle, Washington at the age of 11 and immediately thrived playing basketball. With limited knowledge of Indian basketball players in the US, Gill was able to succeed through his hard work on the court and in the weightroom, understanding to reach his full potential, a strong fitness routine is required. Gill will be in charge of the Elite Boarding Academy and in creating individualized training programs for the interested players, while also working with the after-school program.

Divya Singh (Co-Director of Coaching): Singh is a former captain of the Indian National Women's Basketball Team and, most recently, an Assistant Coach for the Senior Women’s National Team under Foreign Coach Francisco Garcia which won the Bronze Medal in Lusofonia Games Goa – 2014 and placed 6th at the 17th Asian Games, Incheon 2014. As a player, Singh has represented India 7 times over here career, with the highlight captaining the Indian Women at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Post her playing career, she her Masters in Sports Management from the University of Delaware in 2010 while working as a Graduate Assistant of the University of Delaware Basketball Team. She was well respected by her teammates for her game skills, leadership qualities, academic strength and fun, outgoing personality. Singh will be in charge of the After School Academy as well as work with the Elite Campers on a regular basis.

June 23, 2015

Hoopdarshan Episode 9: Jonathan Rego and the mind of an Indian FIBA basketball agent


On Episode 9 of the Indian Basketball podcast Hoopdarshan, hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok are joined by Jonathan Rego, India's first FIBA agent. Armed with experience of developing and promoting the sport at various levels in India, Rego talks to us about the business side of Indian basketball, the prospect for India's best young players to play in professional leagues abroad, the NBA Finals, and screaming (with joy) at Kevin Garnett. We discuss a variety of more topics, including how Rego became a FIBA agent, the NBA draft prospects of Satnam Singh Bhamara, elite training camps for India's most talented youth, and gorging on Mutton Sukka.

Originally from Mangalore and raised in Abu Dhabi, Rego (32) now works in Mumbai as the senior manager of operations of the ISL's Mumbai City FC. He is also working on a few sports exchange programmes with international universities, where he says he is starting with a basketball programme to test the waters before moving on to other sports. Additionally, he is looking to put together a team with the hopes of managing a franchise in the future Indian professional basketball league.



Hoopdarshan aims to be the true voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

June 18, 2015

2015 NBA Playoffs - Expert's Bracket Challenge - Results


There is always a sinking feeling in the stomachs of NBA fans such as ourselves when the Finals conclude. Yes, we have just seen the best that NBA basketball has to offer. But we also know that, like all good things, the NBA season has come to an end, too. We know that we wouldn't be seeing competitive NBA basketball for nearly four and a half months. We await the great, long summer of emptiness.

At the end of the 2015 Finals, Magic Johnson said it better than anyone else. "I was actually sick that the series is over," he said, "It was just truly greatness, and right in front of our eyes."

It was, indeed. And while MVP Stephen Curry, Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, and superhuman alien LeBron James were being great on court, a few friends and I attempted to reach a meek form of greatness of our own off court. Before the playoffs began, I joined ranks with fellow fans and experts of the NBA in India - Akshay Manwani (@AkshayManwani) and Kaushik Lakshman (@_kaushik7) - to turn the post-season into our own mini competition, and in the process, give the fans of the game some hoops food for thought. Akshay suggested the idea and the rules before the playoffs begin, and after all four rounds, the results are in. The winner of the 1st Hoopistani Playoffs Expert's Bracket Challenge is... Akshay Manwani.

For the competition, each of us received +2 for getting the series result correct. Additionally, if we got the scoreline right, we got a bonus of +1. Akshay who got off to a hot start in Round 1 and mathematically wrapped up the competition and headed to the first ever Hoopistani Bracket Trophy even before the Finals begin. All three of us predicted a Warriors victory for the Finals with Akshay and I correctly predicting the series score, too. The standings didn't budge since the First Round.

Final Standings
  • 1. Akshay Manwani: 33
  • 2. Kaushik Lakshman: 28
  • 3. Karan Madhok: 24

Congrats Akshay. Your reward is to enjoy the Mumbai monsoon during the NBA off-season.

June 17, 2015

Splash Champs: The deep Golden State Warriors splash their way to 2015 NBA Championship


The Warriors won 67 games in the regular season, a franchise best and the best record in the NBA this season. In the playoffs, they swept the Pelicans 4-0, bounced back from a 2-1 deficit to beat the Grizzlies 4-2, took care of the Rockets in five games, and survived a superhuman effort by LeBron James in the Final to bounce back again and win 4-2.

For the future, there are many who believe that the Warriors’ success will legitimize ‘small ball’ forever and influence many more to take after their footsteps. But building a true contender around shooters isn’t as easy as Curry and co. made it seem. The Warriors were able to do so because they had historically great shooters, amazing versatile defensive players, and a great deal of sacrifice. It’s a rare formula that will be difficult to replicate.

Click here to read my full feature on SportsKeeda.

June 16, 2015

The Kingsmen: Meet the role players in Cleveland stepping up around ‘King James’


‘King James’ stands nearly alone with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love injured. While the Warriors fire from all cylinders, the mammoth task of keeping the Cavs competitive in the Finals has fallen heavily on LeBron’s shoulders. Playing almost every position on the floor and having his hands over all of the Cavaliers’ activity on both ends, LeBron has been phenomenal. He’s currently averaging 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game in the Finals and already has two triple-doubles in the series to go with three 40-point games.

However, as good as he’s been, LeBron has needed his underrated teammates to step up to the plate and play their role in Cleveland’s fight-back. The Cavaliers have indeed managed to win two games against the mighty Warriors and could force a Game 7 if they win tomorrow. Here are the ‘Kingsmen’ who have surrounded him in this injury-riddled playoffs campaign so far.

Click here to read the full feature on SportsKeeda.

June 15, 2015

#CantStopIndiaBasketball


The Sports Ministry has banned all official basketball events in India in lieu of the infighting between the two factions fighting for the Basketball Federation of India (BFI). This is horrible news, meaning that until the government can come to a decision on the 'legal' ruling party of the BFI, there will be no camps, clinics, training sessions, national tournaments, or international participation of basketball for India.

Basketball isn't played by India's politicians and administrators, it's played by India's basketball players. The average basketball fan or player in the country can feel completely helpless as the opportunity for Indian basketball to rise is squandered away by the power-hungry people on top, many of whom have little regard for the future aspirations of the players themselves. It's time we - players, fans, supporters - take a stand against the Sports Ministry and the BFI and show that the game will go on, no matter what. Through our voices, hopefully we can instill a sense of urgency to the decision-makers and raise more awareness around the nation about this issue.

Post your best photos of playing basketball in India outside of the organized national levels. Let it be know that, even if they stop the Basketball Federation of India, they can't stop India basketball. Tag your photos with #CantStopIndiaBasketball, have your voices heard and your photos seen. More importantly, don't stop ballin'!






June 14, 2015

The Great Deflate: Sports Ministry puts all official basketball events in India on hold after BFI fiasco


Sometimes, basketball in India can feel like a literal bouncing ball. Just when you think that you've gotten a good bounce up, the force of gravity - or the suppressing push of a dribble - can throw it back down to earth again.

That basketball has been rising and falling - well, mostly falling - at alarming pace for the last few months, and now, it has sunk to a new depth. After continued infighting between different factions of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) over the control of the federation's executive committee, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs in India (hereon referred to as the 'Sports Ministry') has put on hold the conduct of any official basketball event in India until the office bearers of the BFI are recognized by the government. The BFI is the governing and controlling body of basketball in India, and is responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels. This ban means that, until the government can come to a decision on the 'legal' ruling party of the BFI, there will be no camps, clinics, training sessions, national tournaments, or international participation of basketball for India.

In a letter by the Sports Ministry addressed to the elected presidents of both the bodies (dated June 12), AK Patro, under-secretary to the Government of India, has written, "The ministry is not in a position to give recognition to either faction at this stage. Both factions are advised not to hold any official event in India and not to use the logo of this ministry or Sports Authority of India (SAI) until office bearers of BFI are recognized by the government."

Do you hear that fizz? That's the sound of a deflated basketball which has now stopped bouncing back up.

The story so far? Over the last two months, a dramatic turn of events has plunged the BFI into an abyss of uncertainty. Political infighting led the association to be split in two: two factions called two separate meetings/elections (March 27 and March 28 respectively) in two different cities (Bengaluru and Pune respectively) and selected two separate executive committees (presided by K Govindraj and Poonam Mahajan respectively) to head the BFI. All of India’s three foreign coaches – Men’s National Team Head Coach Scott Flemming, Women’s National Team Head Coach Francisco Garcia, and Strength and Conditioning Head Coach Tommy Heffelfinger – ended their contracts with Indian basketball last month. Meanwhile, FIBA – the world’s governing body of basketball and organizers of all upcoming FIBA Asia basketball tournaments – declared the situation in India a ‘freeze’, and thus, disallowing India to play in FIBA-sanctioned international basketball tournaments. With the FIBA Asia Championships - India's biggest opportunity for top-level basketball - on the horizon, the nation was headed headless and coach-less into the eye of the storm.

There seemed to be some respite from the mess in recent weeks, a hopeful bounce back up. 'Team Govindraj' won a Delhi High Court order to take charge of the BFI's office in New Delhi and their official website. Then, FIBA finally passed their stamp of recognition to Team Govindraj, too, recognizing them as the official office-bearers of the Federation. Things seemed to be finally getting back on track when FIBA gave India the responsibility of hosting the 4th South Asian Basketball Championship (from July 3-5 in Bengaluru) and the BFI planned a month-long camp in Bengaluru in preparation.

Alas, with the latest development, the ray of hope has quickly been blanketed by a dark cloud of politics again. Already, the warring of the two factions led Team Mahajan to post-pone India's Youth National Basketball Championships originally scheduled to be held in Assam. With the Sports Ministry's ruling to hold all official basketball events in the country, the upcoming national camp and the South Asian Championship in Bengaluru both seem likely to be affected, too.

To elect the 26-member executive committee in the BFI, 41 out of 62 voting members were present for the elections in Pune, reported Amit Sampat on his article for The Times of India. Only 24 voters were present in Bengaluru and failed to fill all the 26 executive posts, so only a 19-member committee was formed.

The biggest victims of this new setback will be India's basketball players, who will continue to miss the opportunity to showcase their talents or improve their game until the administrators on top figure out their power struggle. India can have no more official basketball until Team Govindraj and Team Mahajan bring their differences to an amicable solution, after which the government will have to give their go-ahead, and only then will the ministry reverse its decision. Since this is India, all that process could take anything from a week to six months.

Divya Singh, India's former basketball captain and a talented young coach, took out her frustrations on Twitter yesterday. "It's so sad basketball is in its darkest time in India," she wrote, "Politics can do so much harm. Stop politics let players play."

The ball has been deflated right now, but anything that goes down must come up. We will remain cautiously optimistic and hope for a solution to this on-going drama as soon as possible. Hopefully, the the basketball can bounce back up again.

June 13, 2015

Headless and Coach-less in the eye of the storm


With the FIBA Asia Championships looming, Indian basketball has lost its focus (and coaches) at the worst possible time.

This article was first published in my column for Ekalavyas on May 2, 2015. Click here to read the original post.

The Indian Basketball Men and Women contingents during the Lusofonia Games '14
held in Goa - Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas

Never before in Indian basketball had optimism spread such, like a happy plague of hoops. It close to 9 PM in Wuhan, China, on July 13, 2014, when India’s biggest basketball victory – a 65-58 upset over Asian superpowers China – was confirmed. Back home in India, the clock moved towards 6:30 PM on this Sunday evening. Since the 5th FIBA Asia Cup – the second-most prominent international basketball tournament in the continent – was not being broadcast in India, fans of the game and India’s national team had to find alternative means of following and consuming this historical contest. Without any mainstream attention to the game, updates were only available through the FIBA website, my live blog of the game on Ekalavyas, and social media.

When the game concluded, the players of the Indian national team celebrated on court with the man responsible for tactically and emotionally leading them to this upset: American Head Coach Scott Flemming. Flemming had worked with the core of the team and probable talents back in India for over 18 months, and his hard work had finally borne fruit: India – ranked 61st in FIBA World Basketball Rankings – had defeated China – ranked in the top 12 (and highest in Asia) – on their home soil. Back home in India, only the tiniest of minorities of the billion-plus citizens had a stake or interest in the proceedings, but once the final score was confirmed, the faithful sent their celebrations and congratulations for Flemming and his team.

Less than 10 minutes later, I found myself inside India’s visitor’s locker room, where the sounds of jubilation echoed in contrast to the silence and disappointment of the home team and fans at the Wuhan Sports Centre Gymnasium. Spontaneously, I asked the players to gather for an impromptu photograph, which I clicked and shared online. The haphazardly-taken camera-phone pic lacked focus, and yet, the happiness on the faces of Yadwinder Singh, Amrit Pal Singh, Narendar Grewal, Amjyot Singh, Palpreet Singh, and more was sharper than ever.

Within minutes, the photograph and the result went viral. While long-term fans celebrated the reward after years of patience and penance, fans of Indian sport, patriots at home and abroad, and the basketball community worldwide took note. India, who were in the habit of losing in blowouts to the strongest Asian teams, had finally registered its benchmark victory.

Over the next few days, India gave a close fight to two more of Asia’s finest – Iran and the Philippines – as Flemming’s boys grew confident with each passing game. 64 years after the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) was formed, the federation could finally hold its head up in pride in helping to assemble the coach, the players, and the perfect environment for improvement. I wrote that Flemming had been the architect for a possible Great Leap Forward in Indian Basketball, and Flemming echoed back the optimism for the future of the Indian basketball team, too.

“I think we have proved that we belong,” Flemming had told me in Wuhan last year, “I don’t think there is anybody here that we feel we can’t beat. We have gotten past that point where we thought we had very little chance of winning. Those days are long gone. Now, we are going into every game knowing that we have an opportunity. It is a new day for India.”

Later in 2014, India showed signs of inconsistency at the Asian Games but an impressive win over Kazakhstan did enough to boost morale once again. By earlier this year, with Flemming still at the helm, FIBA.com’s Enzo Flozo declared that India could be the surprise package of 2015. With the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship (FIBA ABC) – the most prestigious basketball tournament in Asia – looming ahead, the plague of optimism was about to engulf the Indian basketball world again. And after proving their worth at Wuhan last year, it seemed that the attention of the country’s mainstream would be more prepared this time around to pay attention.

*

Unfortunately, basketball games aren’t just won and lost on the court, and before India got a chance to pick up any more big victories, they ended up blocking their own best shots.

Over the last two months, a dramatic turn of events has plunged the BFI – the association that organizes and governs basketball in India – into an abyss of uncertainty. Political infighting led the association to be split in two: two factions called two separate meetings/elections (on March 27 and March 28 respectively) in two different cities (in Bengaluru and Pune respectively) and selected two separate executive committees (presided by K Govindraj and Poonam Mahajan respectively) to head the BFI. Because of the split in governance, ‘Team Govindraj’ was left with the finances and ‘Team Mahajan’ with capture of the BFI's office in Delhi.

Over the next few months, the split caused confusion and anger among Indian basketball players and coaches, and soon, the fallout has since led to other serious tribulations. All of India’s three foreign coaches – Men’s National Team Head Coach Scott Flemming, Women’s National Team Head Coach Francisco Garcia, and Strength and Conditioning Head Coach Tommy Heffelfinger – have ended their contracts with Indian basketball this month. A lack of proper governance (and perhaps, funds) may have led to Garcia and Heffelfinger being refused their contract extension. Flemming has insisted that his decision to leave was ‘mostly’ personal, but a fractured BFI certainly didn’t help in pulling him in. For years, India has sought continuity and stability at the helm to help and build a strong basketball structure. With one ruthless swoosh of the political blade, that structure has been shattered.

Meanwhile, FIBA – the world’s governing body of basketball and organizers of all upcoming FIBA Asia basketball tournaments – declared the situation in India a ‘freeze’, and thus, disallowing India to play in FIBA-sanctioned international basketball tournaments. A few weeks later, FIBA finally passed their stamp of recognition to ‘Team Govindraj’, but India’s international basketball future will remain unclear until the domestic messes are cleared up.

*

The FIBA ABC’s for Men and Women are held every two years. These are the most prestigious basketball tournaments for Asian countries and have been held since the 60s. They serve as qualifiers for the Olympic basketball tournament and the FIBA Basketball World Cup. For Indian basketball players, representing and winning for their country at an ABC remains the ultimate prize.

Unsurprisingly, China has been the most dominant Men’s team at the ABC, winning it 15 of the 27 times. Among the Women, China and South Korea have shared the spoils to win the championship an incredible 23 of the 25 times. India have never received a medal: our Men finished fourth in 1975 but haven’t been in the top 10 since 2003; our Women broke a major barrier in 2013 by finishing at best-ever 5th place.

The ABC’s are back this year. From August 29 to September 5, the 26th FIBA Asia Championship for Women will be held in Wuhan, China. From September 23 to October 3, China will play hosts again, this time to the 28th FIBA Asia Championship for Men in Henan. In the Women’s ABC, this should be team’s chance of solidifying their claim at fifth place and maybe even dream of an upset or two over the Asia’s Women’s Big Four of China, Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Korea. In the Men’s ABC, this is India’s chance to prove that last year’s heroics at the FIBA Asia Cup were no fluke and that they can truly be a team that qualifies not just to participate, but to win big.

*

Francisco Garcia, India’s Women’s Head Coach, was not one to mince his words. In the two years he spent at the helm of the national team, the Spaniard was outspoken about the drawbacks and shortcomings that the Indian system suffered, and his outspokenness may have been part of the reason why the BFI considered it better to hold back his contract extension.

But Garcia may feel – justifiably – that after two years, he had earned the right to speak clearly and fairly his opinions about the national team and the federation.

Like Flemming and India’s Men’s team did in July 2014, Garcia’s Women’s side delivered India a breakthrough moment with their big win over Kazakhstan at the last FIBA ABC in Thailand. India’s incredible 65-62 overtime win helped them secure fifth place, and he remembered it as the highlight of his time in the country. A few months later, he delivered a bronze to a junior team at the Lusofonia Games in Goa. He coached the team to a 6th place finish at the Asian Games and took his knowledge to the grassroots level, coaching players and other coaches at various events around the country.

For Garcia, success at the national team level came early into his tenure, and it came at the biggest stage. It is difficult to believe that nearly two years have passed since the big win that had all of us declaring in excitement of how basketball in India had finally turned a corner.
*
But as we speak, India’s fortunes and future at both these tournaments are looking bleak. Until the BFI power struggle is sorted, it doesn’t seem like that FIBA will redact their ‘freeze’ over Indian basketball and allow us to return to these FIBA-organized tournaments.

And even if they do, India’s hopes of continuing the wave of optimism gathered over the last few years will be halted by a sudden reality check. The high quality of opponents at the ABCs had already presented India’s basketball teams with an improbable uphill task; now, with both our national team coaches leaving just months before the big tournaments, our federation has presented itself with an added handicap to make this improbable task close to impossible.

India doesn’t have a good track record of being prepared for major international tournaments. Foreign coaches in the past have complained about the lack of practice games in the lead up to the tournaments. Back home, without a professional league to keep the players involved with high-level hoops around the calendar year, our best players can be inclined to lose match fitness and competitiveness. With no Strength and Conditioning coach on the payroll anymore either, it will be a miracle if the men and women representing India at the next few international championships will be in decent condition and form.

Even in the best-case scenario, if between now and September the BFI is able to heal its fractures, bring back some structure and order to the association, and hire capable good coaches in time, the damage caused in the past few months would still not be undone. While the rest of the Asian teams have been preparing full throttle for these championship for months, India – already a weaker side – will start the race much too late.

India can be a challenging yet rewarding gig for Head Coaches, and any coach that accepts the job has to survive the dual challenge of being a basketball mastermind on the court and open-minded optimist to deal with the problems off of it. Flemming and Garcia – for the large part – were both such coaches. Now, we are in a race against time to a) be eligible for FIBA events again, b) find the right coaches to fit the teams’ tactical needs, c) make sure those coaches are also comfortable with the challenges and dramas of dealing with India and the federation, d) select the teams all over again and magicly expedite the re-teaching process to our players under the new system, e) get the players to the elite level of physical fitness required to run against Asia’s best, and f) somehow find a way of not embarrass ourselves against the continents top dogs at the FIBA ABCs.

For the already-staggering Basketball Federation of India, these are going to be one challenge too many. And for the fans of the game who had celebrated the high-points of recent years, the future takes a sharp turn towards the dark.

*

The Indian basketball family waited for years, even decades, to experience the collective joy that was felt on the night of the win over China. The women’s squad had played in over a dozen ABCs before raising their own ceiling up to fifth place. The ball seemed to finally be bouncing in India’s favour, and the basketball potential of the nation – second only to China in population – felt so much closer to realization.

But that ball has now been deflated. With the FIBA Asia Championships looming, Indian basketball has lost its focus (and coaches) at the worst possible time. Unless the people who are running and sometimes ruining the sport perform a miracle, it could be long before Indian gains back that lost momentum and optimism again.

June 12, 2015

BFI announces Senior Men's basketball team probables and schedule for national coaching camp


With an eye forward at the 4th South Asian Basketball Championship and the 28th FIBA Asia Basketball Championship, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has announced the list of 24 senior national men's team probables for the upcoming national coaching camp, scheduled to be held at the Sri Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru (Karnataka) from June 15 to July 11. This is the first national coaching camp of the year organized by the BFI. India will also host the upcoming South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Championship at the same venue in Bengaluru during the course of the national camp, from July 3-5.

Several Indian star players, such as Amjyot Singh, Amrit Pal Singh, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Pratham Singh, and Satnam Singh Bhamara have been invited for this camp. Out of the 24 players invited, Amjyot, Amrit Pal, and Satnam Singh may not attend the camp because of their professional basketball engagements abroad: Amjyot and Amrit Pal have signed summer league contracts with a team in the BJ League in Japan while Satnam is pursuing the NBA Draft in the hope to become the first Indian citizen in the NBA.

Here is the full list of probables invited for the national coaching camp:
  • Amjyot Singh (Tamil Nadu)
  • Amrit Pal Singh (Uttarakhand)
  • Akilan Pari (Tamil Nadu)
  • Joginder Singh (Services)
  • S. Prasanna Venkatesh (Tamil Nadu)
  • Pratham Singh (Tamil Nadu)
  • Rikin Pethani (Tamil Nadu)
  • Vishesh Bhriguvanshi (Uttarakhand)
  • Yadwinder Singh (Uttarakhand)
  • Narender Grewal (Service)
  • Himanshu Sharma (Haryana)
  • Vikash Sharma (Haryana)
  • Akashdeep Hazra (Indian Railways)
  • Arvind A. (Karnataka)
  • Rajesh Prakash Uppar (Karnataka)
  • Basil Phillip (Kerala)
  • Siddhant Shinde (Maharashtra)
  • Gurvinder Singh Gill (Punjab)
  • A. Arvind (Tamil Nadu)
  • Jeevanatham (Tamil Nadu)
  • Murli Krishnan (Uttarakhand)
  • Satnam Singh Bhamara (Punjab)
  • Vinay Kaushik (Gujarat)
  • Pravesh Rathee (Services)
It still hasn't been confirmed who will be the coach of India's Senior Men's Basketball team at the camp, since the former American coach Scott Flemming left the team last month.

The schedule of events at the National Coaching Camp at Sri Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru:
  • June 15-20: – National Coaching Camp for 24 probables.
  • June 19-20: Selection of Players for next Camp and 4th South Asian Basketball Championship.
  • June 21 - July 2: National Coaching Camp for 16 probables.
  • July 3-5: 4th South Asian Basketball Championship (Qualifying Round for 28th FIBA Asia Championship).
  • July 6-11: National Coaching Camp for 16 probables.
Last year's SABA Championship/Qualifiers were held in Kathmandu (Nepal) and won by India. This year, the teams playing at the SABA championship will be: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka

June 10, 2015

India will host 4th South Asian Basketball Championship in Bengaluru


After a few months of bad news for Indian basketball domestically and abroad, there is finally something to feel encouraged about. FIBA - the international basketball federation - has chosen India to play host to the 4th South Asian Basketball Championship, organized by the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA). The championship, scheduled to be held from July 3-5 at the Sri Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru, will determine which team from the SABA Zone will qualify for the 28th FIBA Asia Championship.

This year's FIBA Asia Championship is set to be held in Hunan, China, from September 23 to October 3.

Photo courtesy: Ekalavyas.com
Because of a leadership tussle atop the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), India were penalized by being 'frozen' by FIBA from participating in international events. Finally, FIBA recognized one of the fighting factions - led by K. Govindraj - as the rightful leadership body of the BFI, and now it seems that the relationship is on a mend as FIBA as handed India and the BFI the privilege of hosting this tournament. It will mend some wounds left behind earlier when Bengaluru was denied from hosting the U16 FIBA Asia Championship for Men.

According to The Hindu, the SABA Qualifiers were initially slated to be held in Bangladesh, but FIBA changed its plans with short notice to India. Last year's SABA Championship/Qualifiers were held in Kathmandu (Nepal) and won by India.

India finished 11th at the FIBA Asia Championship two years ago in Philippines, which was won by Iran.

The report on The Hindu further added that, in choosing India's roster before the SABA championship, the BFI is going ahead with its original selection of 25 probables made during the last National championship at Bhilwara (Rajasthan) in January. The probables have been called for a selection trial at Bengaluru on June 13 and 14, where the list will be cut to 16 in preparation for the tournament ahead.

UPDATE: List of teams participating at the 4th South Asian Basketball Championship:
  • India
  • Bangladesh
  • Bhutan
  • Maldives
  • Nepal
  • Sri Lanka

June 9, 2015

Hoopdarshan Episode 8: Shireen Limaye and an Indian star's WNBA dreams


On Episode 8 of Hoopdarshan - the Indian basketball podcast - hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok are joined by our first ever female guest, rising Indian Basketball star Shireen Limaye. Limaye spoke to us about her WNBA dreams, how her hometown Pune made her into one of India's top players, and why we now call her the 'Splash Sister'. Additionally, Karan and Kaushik also discuss Indian basketball and NBA news and answer various questions from our fans and followers across the interwebs.

Limaye, 20, burst into the Indian national scene at just age 15 and has since been a regular in the national team, representing the country in various international tournaments including the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Women where India finished at a best-ever 5th place. Limaye hails from Pune and has a unique combination of size and dribbling skill that makes her an important centerpiece for India.

In the second half of the episode, Kaushik and Karan catch up with some #IndiaBasketball news, and tackle questions sent by Hoopdarshan listeners at great length, touching on issues such as the split within the Basketball Federation of India, the possibility of a future professional league in India, and dabble in NBA talk too like answering the Hack-Or-Not dilemma.



Hoopdarshan aims to be the true voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

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Indian Basketball Player's Association (IBPA) officially kick-started in New Delhi


They say that necessity is the mother of invention. In basketball terms, tactical necessity arises when a defensive scheme fails on an exceptional offensive player, or vice versa. It is in these cases that the best coaches and players invent a solution, or make an adjustment to turn things around in their favour and give birth to a new system.

In India, the best basketball players in the country have had a different, more pressing necessity than the one that troubles them tactically on court. For years, the federations and associations that have represented the players at the state or national level have failed to properly represent the individuals that make the heart and soul of the game: the player's themselves. In more recent months, the Basketball Federation of India has been further rocked by political infighting, leaving Indian Basketball headless and coach-less with the FIBA Asia Championships looming in the near future.

Finally, these necessities have led the former players of the nation to a fantastic invention. Aiming to give a voice to Indian basketball players - current and past - the Indian Basketball Players Association (IBPA) was officially formed at the Indian Medical Association hall in New Delhi on Sunday, June 7. The first meeting of the IBPA was attended by various legends of Team India, including several Arjuna awardees, Dhyan Chand awardees, an Asian all-star player, former Indian captains and a number of international and national players.

The members nominated Sajjan Singh, (Arjuna Awardee) as President of IBPA, Jayasankar Menon (Asian All Star Basketball Player) as General Secretary and Ashok Sharma (National Player and FIBA Commissioner) as Treasurer. Abbas Moontasir has been named IBPA's Chairman Vice chairpersons are Manmohan Singh and Suman Sharma, all of whom are Arjuna Awardees. President Sajjan Sajjan welcomed this initiative to promote basketball but cautioned all the members of IBPA not to end up into politics of any kind.

Jonathan Rego, India's first FIBA agent, said that it is the need of the hour to recognize the contributions of Indian Basketball and to expose young Indian players to the contributions of Indian Basketball legends. "Through this association we would also like to bring to light that playing basketball can lead to a stable, lucrative corporate career."

Shiba Maggon, former Indian captain, suggested that we should bring the legends to the coaching centers to show case their signature move to the kids to improve the fundamentals of the game. It will also increase the interest of the kids to follow the game more.

Jayasankar Menon stated that the IBPA is by the players for the players. He thanked everyone who rendered support to this initiative and requested to provide commitment to achieve the objective of IBPA.


June 7, 2015

India's Amjyot Singh and Amrit Pal Singh head out to Japan to play in professional basketball Summer League


A year ago, India's basketball team shocked China on their home soil at the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan. The chief architects of India's victory - and their entire successful campaign in Wuhan - were the two indomitable big men in the middle from Punjab: Amrit Pal Singh and Amjyot Singh. Amrit Pal and Amjyot - both 23 - have been India's breakout stars in recent years and are the two pillars around whom rest the future hopes of Indian basketball.

But despite developing into two of the top young players in all of Asia, the two Singhs have remained semi-professionals because India still doesn't have a professional basketball league. Instead, like the rest of India's national team players, they play in invitational and federation-organized tournaments all year and spend the rest of their time working in other day jobs. No Indian male players have yet featured in prominent professional leagues abroad; India's veteran women talents Geethu Anna Jose and Anitha Paul Durai have enjoyed professional stints in Australia and Thailand before.

Fortunately, the reward of excellence and hard work might finally be delivered to Amrit Pal and Amjyot: the two big men headed to Japan today to play in the Summer League for the Hyogo Impulse, a team in Japan's BJ Summer League. The two players have signed on to a summer league contract till August 31. If they are able to prove their mettle on court, they may be able to secure a position for the team on their proper regular season rosters and become full professionals in Japan.

If Amrit Pal and Amjyot return to India in September, they will make it back in time to prepare with India for the FIBA Asia Championship in China (if India are cleared to play, of course), which begins on September 23.

I have long believed that Amrit Pal Singh and Amjyot Singh have the talent and potential to play in the top leagues in Asia, and this is a huge opportunity for the two Indian stars to prove that they can be valuable at that level. Unfortunately, however, most top leagues around the world (excluding notably the NBA) have a cap to the number of foreign players they allow per team. This is why most teams choose to fill in the foreign player quota with an exceptional North American or European player and give the rest of the roster spaces to their homegrown talents. Even if Amrit Pal and Amjyot prove to be better than some of the homegrown talents in Japan, it will be tough for the team to choose them over their other foreign imports.

"The idea is to get Indian basketball some notoriety with these two guys, who we know can succeed over there, build trust with Japanese basketball system that India has talent then start pushing other players over there to play professionally," said Himanshu Dabir, who helped out the players secure these contracts in Japan.

Amrit Pal and Amjyot Singh are also the same Sikh players who were at the center of FIBA's "No Headgear" policy controversy at the FIBA Asia Cup last year, when they were asked to remove their turbans before taking part in FIBA-organized basketball games.

Meanwhile, in another part of the world, another Indian Punjabi is hoping to become a professional in a better-known basketball league. India's giant Satnam Singh Bhamara has been working out with various NBA teams in recent weeks and has declared himself for the 2015 NBA Draft which will take place at the end of June. Bhamara hopes to become the first Indian national in the NBA. Hopefully, all three talented bigs will be playing professional basketball internationally by the end of this year and providing some healthy competition for the big man spots for the Indian national squad for years to come.

Note to event organizers in India: the homegrown talent is looking better than ever. It's about time to start our own professional league to harness these talents, keep them home, give them the opportunity and money they deserve, and help the growth and popularity of basketball in India.