Hoopdarshan 108: NBA Academy India's Pritish Kokate + Finals talk

After years of perseverance, Pune-based Pritish Kokate found his dream come true in true 'filmi' fashion to become one of the recruits in the prestigious NBA Academy India. Kokate joins Hoopdarshan 108 to speak to Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok about his hoops journey, the 'Coco On Air' podcast, and to discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo's legacy after the amazing NBA Finals. 

 Also in Episode 108, Kaushik and Karan break down more of the NBA postseason, celebrate Milwaukee's long-overdue title, preview the Olympic Men's basketball tournament, and speak about Karan's trip to the holy grail of Butter Chicken, Aman Chicken in Ludhiana.

 

Hoopdarshan is the truest 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...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Hoopdarshan 107: The NBA Finals of Sorrow and Joy with Shivam Patel

To preview the unlikely, unfortunate, unprecedented NBA Finals, we welcome to Hoopdarshan Episode 107 Shivam Patel, one half of the Patel and Kumar NBA Show. Patel joins hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to discuss the main storylines, everything from CP3 to Giannis, Booker to Middleton, Steve Nash to Lew Alcindor. Who'll be raising the banner when it's all over? 

Our Finals special episode also covers the 'playoffs of sadness', the number of important injuries that changed the fate of the title chase this season. We also make our predictions about the big tactical decisions that will decide the champions, and the eventual Finals MVP.

Shivam Patel is the co-host of the Patel and Kumar NBA Show and the host/founder of the Patel Pick and Roll Sports with Shivam.

 

Hoopdarshan is the truest 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...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Hoopdarshan 104: 2021 NBA Playoffs Preview with Akshay Manwani

Eight First Round Series. Eight BIG Questions. In Episode 104 of Hoopdarshan, NBA expert Akshay Manwani joins Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to discuss the end-of-season award winners and help preview the playoffs with the most pressing questions of the First Round: How many Wizards does it take to stop Embiid? What does Giannis do to jump up the next level? Who is the second-best Maverick? And lots, lots more. 

Hoopdarshan is the truest 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...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan

Hoopdarshan 103: Mirin Fader on Princepal Singh and Giannis Antetokounmpo

Princepal Singh became the third Indian to play in the G-League. Last month, Mirin Fader wrote a story on The Ringer about Princepal, his journey from Punjab to the G-League Ignite, and more. Fader joins us on Episode 103 of the Indian basketball podcast, Hoopdarshan to give the story behind the story: her impressions of Princepal, his current situation, and her research into Punjabi pinni. Plus, she shares details from her highly-anticipated biography of the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Mirin Fader is a staff writer for The Ringer, writing long-form, human-interest features on all sports. She’s the author of the forthcoming book, GIANNIS: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP, based off her profile of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his youngest brother Alex Antetokounmpo. The book will be released August 10, 2021 by Hachette Books. 

 Also in Episode 103, hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok discuss India's upcoming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, the 2021 FIBA Asia Women's Cup, and share thoughts from around the NBA, including Jamal Murray's injury and Steve Nash's crazy first year as a head coach.

 

Hoopdarshan is the truest 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...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Hoopdarshan Episode 75: 2019 NBA Playoffs Preview with Akshay Manwani

To preview the upcoming NBA playoffs, NBA analyst and commentator Akshay Manwani joins Hoopdarshan's co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to discuss the battle-royale in the East, the greatness of Giannis and Harden, the challengers to Golden State in the West, and the players, teams, and moments that have defined this NBA season so far.

In addition, Kaushik and Karan also discuss recent Indian basketball news, including the hiring of new head coach Veselin Matic, the launch of Red Bull Reign in India, and the Indian Basketball Hall of Fame.



Hoopdarshan is the truest 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...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Soaring up, Crashing Down - 6 NBA early season surprises and shocks

Before the season began, NBA fans and analysts such as myself had rough premonitions of how the future could unfold, of which teams would perform well and which ones will disappoint. While those at the top (Warriors) and the bottom (76ers) have fallen in their predictable places, there has been a lot of unforeseen movement of teams in the middle.

Click here for my post on SportsKeeda, on the teams soaring up and crashing down in surprises and shocks early in the 2015-16 NBA season.

Great Leap: 7 NBA players who could make the leap from good to great this season

Time passes, Champions are crowned, MVP awards are won, everyone gets a year older, your favourite players slowly fade into oblivion, and life goes on.

But for every star that begins to die down, a new star is born!

Every year, a new group of players take a giant leap from becoming good to great. It usually happens between the second and fourth years in the career of a young NBA talent, as the player begins to fully grasp the true potential of his basketballing powers and begins to get comfortable with the pace and systems in the NBA. In recent years, we have seen the likes of Paul George and Jimmy Butler make such a leap, going from solid starters to NBA All Stars.

Here are the players who could make that great leap this season - read full article on SportsKeeda!

A Weekend of Stars – and Damian Lillard: Predicting the 2014 All Star Weekend

Taking part in a record five events, Damian Lillard will by default become the most-mentioned name listed literally, everywhere, but will he be the most successful? With revamped energy (word to the new Commissioner) in all the All Star programmes – particularly for the Slam Dunk Contest – it’s promising to be a big year for the event all around. Here is my preview and some bold predictions looking forward to the NBA All Star Weekend.

Click here to read full feature.