Hoopdarshan 109: Amritpal Singh returns to dominate for Team India

In a must-win qualifying game against Palestine, Amritpal Singh posted 32 points and 12 rebounds to secure a dramatic comeback victory for India. Now, the Punjabi big man joins Hoopdarshan to look ahead at the FIBA Asia Cup, share how he remained sharp during the Lockdown, and reminisce his time with the NBL in Australia. Hosted by Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok. 

 Also in Episode 109, Kaushik and Karan discuss India's performance at the FIBA Asia Women's Cup, and recap the worst storylines of the NBA's offseason.

 

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 56: Vishnu Ravi Shankar on Amritpal Singh and Pursuit India

One of Indian basketball's biggest stars, Amritpal Singh, is breaking barriers as the first Indian to play in the Australian NBL league. After watching Amritpal play first-hand in Melbourne, Hoopdarshan's host Kaushik Lakshman joins Karan Madhok to interview Vishnu Ravi Shankar of Pursuit India on Amritpal's NBL journey, opportunities, challenges, and the future of other top Indian prospects.

In Episode 56, Kaushik and Karan also discuss India's performances at the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, the 'Hoopdarshan Derby' (Knicks vs. Lakers), and much 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 

Indian Basketball star Amritpal Singh has been signed by NBL's Sydney Kings

For those searching for the ultimate desi Cinderella story, the tale of 26-year-old star Amritpal Singh is even stranger than fiction.

At age 18, Singh, the son of a farmer from a small town in Punjab, had never held a basketball. By 22, he had become the captain of India's national basketball team. At at 26, he has taken his boldest step forward it: he will become the first Indian to be in a roster of a team in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).

On Wednesday, August 30, the Sydney Kings officially signed Amritpal Singh, making the 7-footed center the first Indian-born player to be contracted to an NBL team following changes to the rules that allow for these nationalities to play as unrestricted players.

Earlier this year, Singh's teammate with the Indian national team and ONGC (Uttarakhand) Vishesh Bhriguvanshi signed a training contract with the Adelaide 36ers.

Sydney Kings Managing Director Jeff Van Groningen said it was a significant signing for the club and Australian basketball. "We welcome Amritpal to our organisation," said Van Groningen. "We take our responsibility as a member of the global basketball community very seriously and endorse the NBL’s focus on ‘bridge-building’ with those that share an interest and passion for our great game both in India and within the Indian community here in Australia. We are excited at what Amritpal can contribute to the Kings as a strong, rebounding big man and we look forward to contributing to his rising career. He is young in the game but secured this opportunity through hard work and professionalism."

Singh has served as captain of the Indian national team, most recently in the India's gold-winning triumph at the 2017 SABA Championships in Maldives. Domestically, he plays for the Pune Peshwas of the UBA Basketball League and was employed by ONGC in Uttarakhand. Over the past few years, Singh has had his share of professional experience abroad, as he played in the Japanese D-League and BJ Summer League. Earlier this summer, he impressed NBL scouts at a Draft Combine and Melbourne and was given an opportunity to train with the Kings. He traveled with the Kings' invitational squad to China for the Atlas Cup and helped them win the competition with his big performances.

Sydney Kings Head Coach Andrew Gaze, a former legendary player in Australian basketball, said he was excited to work with Singh. “Amritpal was a very strong contributor to the Kings offseason program, particularly during our invitational tour to China," Gaze said. "His rebounding was a major factor that allowed us to win the Suzhou event, and he also picked up our overall playing philosophies and schemes quite quickly."

"He's got great athleticism, runs the floor, got good hands, got good shooting touch," Gaze told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday. "He's got great size. Last season, one of the major deficiencies we had was our rebounding. He rebounds the ball really well."

The Kings found their most successful stretch in the NBL in the early 00s, when they won a three-peat of championships from 2003-2005. They have struggled in recent years, however, and finished second-to-last in the NBL's standings last season.

The Sydney Kings begin their National Basketball League 2017/2018 season with a game on Saturday, October 7 against the Adelaide 36ers at Qudos Bank Arena. But before that, Singh will be initiated to the team in the highest-level possible, with a pre-season game against the NBA side Utah Jazz on October 2. It will be his first time playing against this high level of competition, which could include a potential matchup against the 'Stifle Tower' Rudy Gobert.

Singh was born in the village of Fattuwal in Punjab, the son of a farmer, and used most of his athletic gifts ploughing the field or playing Kabaddi. At 19, he was finally introduced to the famed Ludhiana Basketball Academy (LBA) and their late head coach Dr S. Subramanian. Once he took to the game, Singh improved rapidly, graduated quickly the Indian national team, and has been a linchpin of the national squad for the past six years, a stretch that has included India's historic wins over China at the FIBA Asia Challenge and the most recent appearance at the FIBA Asia Cup.

"He's a good athlete, and he comes from a relatively small town in his area with not a lot of resources to refine his skills," Gaze told the Sydney Morning Herald. "It's testament to his work ethic and his love for the game and passion that he's been able to make this type of progress."

More from Gaze's interview with the Herald.

"You can't use one of those spots just for some token reasons or for marketing, there's none of that, as a coach I wouldn't do that, he's absolutely here on merit," Gaze said.
"We've got to keep this in perspective, he's got a long way to go. This is not the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon, he's a player I believe has huge upside.
"He's a quick learner, he's got a good IQ, he's got a good instinct for the game, a natural instinct. He's got a lot of upside on the basis he's only been playing the game for five or six years."

Singh will join a roster in the Kings that includes swingmen Kevin Lisch and Brad Newley, both of whom made the All NBL Second Team last season.

Singh's unlikely journey to the Kings took one last minor speed-bump, when the riots in his home state of Punjab earlier this week put the entire area in a curfew and caused him to miss his flight abroad. Singh arrived late to Sydney, but now, he is ready to contribute and start on a whole new chapter in his basketball life.

Australian College of Sport ties up with Pursuit to boost Indian sporting talent

Earlier this year, Indian basketball received a pleasant surprise: four of our top players - Amjyot Singh, Amritpal Singh, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, and Yadwinder Singh - were invited to Melbourne, Australia to take part in the country's National Basketball League (NBL) Draft Combine. The four players made quite a positive impact with the coaches and scouts from the NBL squads and their performances led to an almost instantaneous reaction: Amritpal was given a chance to take part in the Sydney Kings rookie camp and preseason, while Bhriguvanshi became the first Indian to be signed to an NBL contract, by the Adelaide 36ers.

Photo via: Australian College of Sport

The growing Indo-Australian sports (and particularly, basketball) connection hasn't just been conjured out of thin air. In the background, Indian sports management company Pursuit have been working hard as the mediums between the athletes and their athletic destinations.

Now, Pursuit takes another major step forward in their growing relationship with Australia: On Wednesday, the Australian College of Sport (ACS) formally announced that they have entered a tie-up with Pursuit to act as the ambassador for ACS in India and the rest of the Indian subcontinent. Pursuit will represent ACS for the purpose of scouting and recruiting student athletes to be admitted to the ACS Programme across basketball, football, cricket, badminton, swimming and golf. This tie-up is intended to facilitate India’s most talented athletes to train and study in ACS’s world class facilities in Australia.

The Australian College of Sport was established in Adelaide, Australia in November 2006, and focuses on individualized athlete development combined with formal education to prepare athletes for a professional playing career. In 2011, ACS launched its golfing programme in Melbourne and in 2015, expanded its basketball programme and opened a second campus in Sydney.

This tie-up is a direct result of the Australian Prime Minister, Malcom Turnbull’s visit to India in April 2017, when the Indian and Australian Governments signed several MoUs, including one on sports. This MoU endeavours to connect Australia’s global reputation for sports excellence and expertise with India’s ambition to improve its sports administration and infrastructure.

“This tie-up is significant as it provides another pathway to young Indian athletes to develop their craft in a world-class environment," said Vishnu Ravi Shankar, Director of Pursuit. "What’s more, the classroom education that ACS offers on sports development and management creates an opportunity for the student-athlete to build a career in the global sports industry."

“Through this tie-up, we aim to get exposed to the right pool of talent in India and provide the right platform to aspiring athletes in India that are willing to compete professionally and exploring the sporting industry," said Stuart Roberts, the CEO of ACS. "Our High Performance Training Curriculum enables the athlete to achieve superior results."

From an Indian perspective, this tie-up is intended to address the lack of coaching and training facilities in the country, allowing India’s most talented athletes to train and study in Australia’s world class facilities. The focus is on finding players in the age group of 17 to 22, where player development is crucial. Besides honing of pro athletes, ACS also delivers vocational education through its degree pathways with top tier Australian Universities such as Deakin University, University of South Australia and Torrens University.

Shankar added that the programme in ACS should increase the future scope for Indian players to have an opportunity to play in Australia. "Doors are opening up for Indian players now," said Shankar. "Australians already know that Indians can play sport because we compete with them in cricket. After Amritpal, they will be looking at Indian athletes as viable options for basketball, too."

Recently, Pursuit also finalised a deal with the IMG Academy in the USA for a different programme to promote Indian athletes. "Both of these things are just the beginning stage," said Shankar. "We need to do a lot more, we need to tie up with more colleges and academies and with the right kind of people. The point is that kids should have multiple options. Eventually they should have options in different parts of the world with different types of affordability. World class training is important. A course like ACS which comes with a sports development programme can be a great starting point."

Vishesh Bhriguvanshi becomes first Indian signed to Australian basketball league NBL

Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia and the country's fifth-most populous city, is nearly 9,000 kilometres away from Varanasi, the ever-living, ancient Indian city in Uttar Pradesh. And yet, with the supreme power of basketball, one of Varanasi's most accomplished contemporary exports is going to turn that distance into dust with his newest incredible leap.

Bhriguvanshi, one of the most experienced and talented players produced by Indian basketball, has just made history by becoming the first player to be signed by Australia's top-tier basketball league, the National Basketball League (NBL). He has been offered a one-year training contract by the Adelaide 36ers for their forthcoming season, which is set to begin in October. This contract means that Bhriguvanshi will be a part of the team as a reserve to train with the club, but will only get to play if he replaces an injured player.

Bhriguvanshi (25) was part of a four-member contingent of top Indian players who were invited to the NBL's Draft Combine in Melbourne in April. A 6-foot-5 shooting guard, he clearly made an impression on the Adelaide scouts for his ability to lead a team from the backcourt. Bhriguvanshi's Indian squad teammate, Amritpal Singh, has also received serious NBL interest and will be part of a pre-season tour with the Sydney Kings. One of them will surely become the first Indian to play in the NBL.

"Vishesh is an exciting talent from India, renowned for his court presence and intuitive feel for the game," said Guy Hedderwick, the 36ers, CEO. "It’s great to have signed the first Indian player to the NBL and we’re looking forward to connecting with the Indian community during his basketball journey."

Bhriguvanshi spoke to Jamie Alter on The Times of India and acknowledged that the signing was a dream come true for him. "A league in India is what I always wanted, but we still lack in that, so this opportunity makes me feel on top of the world. The NBL is one of the world's biggest leagues after the NBA," said Vishesh. "Every player has a dream to play for a reputed league some day, and so it was my dream. Representing the nation is very different feeling, and I am definitely proud of that, but playing in a league like this has always been my dream and that is what keeps me motivated."

In keeping with that 'dreamy' theme, Bhriguvanshi will also join the Dream Basketball Academy in Adelaide for the 2017-18 season. It is this Academy that introduced Bhriguvanshi to the 36ers by the Dream Basketball Academy. The deal follows the success of former Adelaide 36ers and Dream Basketball Academy player, Terrance Ferguson, who was selected at pick 21 by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Draft last month. Bhriguvanshi was also aided by My Sports Factory, a Coimbatore-based company that got in touch with Dream Basketball Academy to get the deal done.

"We look forward to this new relationship, not only with Vishesh, but with the whole of India," said Managing Director and Co-Founder of The Dream Basketball Academy Raheim Brown. "He will represent the Dream Academy and the Adelaide 36ers proudly for his country and himself. Following Terrance Ferguson’s success, NBA scouts are paying increased attention to the Dream Academy, the Adelaide 36ers and the NBL, as an alternative pathway to achieve an NBA career."

Bhriguvanshi, who had injured himself while playing for India at the BRICS Games 2017 last month, has recovered and is set to participate for the national team at the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon in August. He may head to Adelaide before that to begin training alongside the 36ers.

The 36ers have won four NBL titles in their franchise history, the second-most of any team in the league, but their last championship came back in 2002. They are currently coached by former NBA draftee Joey Wright and reached the NBL's semi-finals in the 2016-17 season led by Mitch Creek and Jerome Randle.

Getting a chance to make his NBL debut will be another great feather in Bhriguvanshi's hat. Born to a humble family in Varanasi (my hometown!) he has come a long way over the past eight years, becoming one of India's best young players, getting the post of national captain, dominating the domestic circuit with ONGC, and winning the MVP award of the recent season of the UBA Basketball League with the Bengaluru Beast. I have written extensively about Bhriguvanshi, who is perhaps the most-decorated athlete in India without mainstream name-recognition. Hopefully, this latest honour opens up doors for more opportunities for him and other Indian stars.

As we celebrate Bhriguvanshi's achievement, let us also take a moment to reflect on the first Indian to play professional basketball in Australia: Arjuna Award winner Geethu Anna Jose. The star of the Indian women team over the past decade Jose played for the Ringwood Hawks in 2006, won the MVP award in the Big V division, and played in the WNBL preseason in 2008.

“If Indian players get a chance, we’ll give 200 percent effort” – Basketball star Yadwinder Singh speaks about NBL Draft Combine in Australia

This article was first published in my column for Ekalavyas.com on May 4, 2017. See the original piece here.

It was an unprecedented honour. In mid-April, four of the top players of India’s national basketball team – Amjyot Singh, Amritpal Singh, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, and Yadwinder Singh – were invited to Melbourne to take part in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) Draft Combine.

No Indian player has ever played in the NBL. Amjyot, Amritpal, Bhriguvanshi, and Yadwinder – all of whom have helped India make rapid strides in improvement in recent years – were among a total of 80 players at the Combine at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic on April 17-18 with hopes to cracking into the nation’s top professional basketball league.

The Combine was an opportunity for coaches and scouts of different NBL teams to gauge the talent at hand and sign the players they believe could help their team. NBL teams are usually allowed only three spots for foreign players, but under the new rules, players belonging to the countries of the FIBA Asia zone will be given an additional separate spot. This could really encourage one of the NBL's eight teams to sign one of the Indians.

Amjyot Singh and Amritpal Singh are no stranger to foreign league attention. Both Punjabi big men have played professionally in Japan's BJ Summer League and their Development League, winning the Japanese D-League title as teammates in the latter for the Tokyo Excellence. Last year, Amjyot and Amritpal also declared for the NBA's D-League draft but were not picked. Bhriguvanshi is one of India's most experienced and talented players and is recognised as one of the best shooting guards in Asia.

The most experienced of India’s representatives in Australia was Yadwinder Singh. ‘Yadu’ (30) has been playing internationally for India for over a dozen years. The 6-foot-6 forward is known to be one of team’s most beloved players and has played crucial roles behind the “Big Three” of Amjyot, Amritpal, and Bhriguvanshi in India’s successful campaigns in the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge and 2014 FIBA Asia Cup. Domestically, he plays for ONGC in Dehradun and most-recently represented the Haryana Gold squad in the UBA Basketball League.

After he returned back to his home in Rasulpur near Amritsar in Punjab, I got an opportunity to interview Yadwinder about his experiences in Melbourne and his future plans.

Q. How did you hear about the opportunity to take part in the NBL Draft Combine and what was your first reaction?

Yadwinder: I was first told about the opportunity by Vishnu Ravi Shanker (the co-founder of Pursuit India) about three or four weeks before the Combine. Of course, I was very happy to hear this news. I know that I’m old – I’m over 30 now – and I was glad to still get this opportunity. Usually, foreign leagues are only interested in players under 25. I started practicing for it right away and I knew I had to do my best.

This was my second time in Australia; I played for India at the 2006 CommonWealth Games in Melbourne.

Q. How helpful was it that you had Amjyot, Amritpal, and Vishesh - three guys who you have spent so much time playing with internationally and domestically - by your side for this trip?

Yadwinder: The four of us, we have a brotherhood. I was so happy that I was there with guys that I have played with so much. I play with Vishesh and Amrit in ONGC and with Amjyot in the national team. So it was a lot of fun. I would have been more anxious if I was there alone, but with all four of us, there was no pressure. We encouraged each other to play better.

The trip was comfortable off the court, too. My sister lives in Melbourne, she has been in Australia for 10-11 years. She took care of everything for us and we had no problems getting around.

Q. Tell me about the schedule of the Combine, and what types of workouts they had you guys go through?

Yadwinder: We were registered on our first day with the other players. There were players mostly from Australia, but some from the USA, and some Canadians were also there. Several Chinese players were invited but they didn’t show up. They did a physical test first for our heights and weights, and then separated us all into different teams of about five or six. All of us four Indians were put into different teams. We took part in shuffle exercises, sprinting, jumping for our vertical, etc. on that first day. Then, after lunch, all of our teams played a few casual games.

The next day, they called all of the teams back and told us a little bit more about the Combine. Then they tested our shooting percentages and I think we Indians were the best! All of us – Vishesh, Amjyot, Amritpal – shot really well. Amrit must have hit twelve or thirteen threes! There was one more game in the end before the closing.

I really liked Melbourne, it’s a very good city. If I get the opportunity, I would enjoy playing there or anywhere in Australia.

Q. What lessons from the Combine do you think you've picked up that will help you improve your game back in India?

Yadwinder: We were there just for two days, so everything was a little rushed. But I know that that they stressed on the importance of playing in the team system, about how a new player can adjust in a team. It was also great playing with some of the other foreign players: I noticed their speed, their shooting ability, and definitely how their fitness-level was better than ours. We have to improve our fitness levels, too.

Playing with a lot of those players, I think our confidence level improved a lot. I feel that I can play against anyone. Of course, Amjyot and Amritpal have proven themselves in the Japan. There’s nothing that we can’t achieve; if Indian players get a chance, we’ll give two hundred percent effort.

Q. The FIBA Asia Cup is in August. How is the team preparing for it and what are the goals this time around after India made history at the FIBA Asia Challenge last year?

Yadwinder: We are improving every day and doing our best. The national team camp will begin at the IG Stadium in New Delhi Day from May 1st. We are all in rhythm and have been playing a lot. I also heard that Satnam Singh will be joining us for the FIBA Asia Cup. Our team will be much stronger.

The aim is to not to repeat the mistakes of the close games we lost in the past. We have to study where we fell short against teams like Iran and the Philippines and make improvements. We understand those teams better now.

We watch a lot of our own games online and pay attention to our mistakes. We have to learn and improve. I’ll give you a personal example: say that I am on defence, guarding a player, and another player who is being guarded by Amritpal provides a screen. I get stuck in those situations, and I have to analyse how to squeeze out of that screen and recover to defend my man, and how Amritpal can recover quickly back to his man, too. Many of the offences in the international teams rely very heavily on screen-and-rolls and pick-and-rolls. That is something that I know I have to be in the lookout for on the defensive end.

I want to give my team one hundred percent. Do whatever my team wants or needs from me. The coaches know where to use me on court and I would do whatever it takes.

Between Satnam, Amrit, Amjyot, and Vishesh, we have a very good set of players in the team now.

Q. What do you hope to achieve for the team and yourself over the next year?

Yadwinder: We want to play even better and finish even higher in the FIBA Asia Cup. I’m not saying that we’ll get a medal, but we have to improve our standing. Every team rises slowly. The last time we played in a major tournament, there were problems with the federation in India but we played well without a lot of good players. This time, we will have more high-level players available.

Personally, I have to improve my shooting percentage. Of course, I always concentrate on defence, that’s my thing. We have enough good scorers in our team: Vishesh, Amritpal, Amjyot, and Palpreet [Singh Brar], who is now doing really well too. So I don’t have to worry about scoring; my focus is on defence.

Four Indian basketball superstars invited to Australian NBL Draft Combine in Melbourne

Four of India's top basketball players from the national Men's team - Amjyot Singh, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Amritpal Singh, and Yadwinder Singh - aim to make history this week. All four stars will be heading be heading to Melbourne to take part in Australia's National Basketball League's (NBL) Draft Combine on April 17-18. This is the first time that Indian players have been invited to participate in this event. If they can prove their mettle, one (or all!) of the four players will aim to become the first Indians to play in the NBL, one of the top basketball leagues in the world outside of the USA, in the 2017-18 season.

The Draft Combine will be taking place at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. According to a press release from Ekalavyas Media, a total of 80 players are expected to participate in the combine. These will include returning US college players, South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) players, Australian state league players, and members of Australia’s national U18 and U20’s teams. It is an opportunity for coaches and scouts of different NBL teams to gauge the talent at hand and sign the players they believe could help their team.

As standard practice, players participating in the NBL Draft Combine must pay an entry fee of AUD $250. However, this fee has been waived off for all the invited Indian players. The waiver of fees for the Indian contingent by the NBL is just another sign that the NBL has serious intentions to enter the Indian market: Last year, the NBL signed a historic deal with VEQTA to stream NBL games live in India.

NBL teams are usually allowed only three spots for foreign players, but under the new rules, players belonging to the countries of the FIBA Asia zone will be given an additional separate spot. This could really encourage one of the NBL's eight teams to sign Amjyot, Bhriguvanshi, Amritpal, or Yadwinder's to that additional 'Asian' player spot for the upcoming season.

Amjyot Singh and Amritpal Singh are no stranger to foreign league attention. Both Punjabi big men have played professionally in Japan's BJ Summer League and their Development League, winning the Japanese D-League title as teammates in the latter for the Tokyo Excellence. Last year, Amjyot and Amritpal also declared for the NBA's D-League draft but were not picked. Bhriguvanshi is one of India's most experienced and talented players and is recognised as one of the best shooting guards in Asia. Yadwinder has been a veteran presence for the Indian national team for nearly a decade and has been part of India's recent successful campaigns - led by the 'Big Three' of Amjyot, Amritpal, and Bhriguvanshi - at the FIBA Asia Challenge and other international competitions.

No Indian national has yet played in the NBL. Arjuna Award winner and perhaps India's greatest-ever women's basketball player Geethu Anna Jose played professionally in Australia WNBL and the BIG V Division almost a decade ago. India's first NBA draft pick Satnam Singh plays for the NBA D-League squad Texas Legends. Another Indian, Palpreet Singh, was drafted into the NBA D-League by the Long Island Nets last year but didn't make their roster.

The NBL, founded in 1979, consists of seven Australian and one New Zealand team. It is considered generally as one of the most-competitive basketball leagues in the world outside of the NBA. The most recent season of the league concluded in March with the Perth Wildcats beating the Illawara Hawks for the championship. The next season will begin in October.

The Indian players’ participation in the NBL Draft Combine was made possible by Pursuit India and its Australian partner Danny Kordahi. Pursuit, which had previously worked with Kordahi and arranged the visit of Australian coach Damian Cotter to the national men’s camp, has been working behind-the-scenes for months to identify suitable playing opportunities across the globe.

"It’s the biggest platform our players have had so far to showcase their talent," said Vishnu Ravi Shankar, head of Pursuit India. "The NBL is a highly competitive international league and it’s a fantastic opportunity for our top Indian players to gauge their skill levels. Whatever the outcome, they will benefit a great deal from the experience itself."

It's no secret that Amjyot, Amritpal, and Bhriguvanshi are three of the best players in Asia in their respective positions. Yadwinder is a fantastic role player and an experienced presence for India The only reason that none of them have found more pro league options abroad have been the import player limits on each country. Since most countries only allow two or three foreign players per team, the teams usually swing for the fences and spend big money on talented North American players who can guarantee them immediate success. But with the new tweak in the rules at the NBL, hopefully the four Indian stars get a chance to shine and showcase their talents in this competitive environment. Their experience will be beneficial to their own improvement and hopefully extend the glow among the improving talent pool of basketball in India.

Hoopdarshan Episode 44: Eban Hyams on UBA Pro League and Australian Basketball

Eban Hyams is a truly global citizen, raised in India and Australia, and with professional basketball experience around the world. Most recently, Hyams has been a part of the UBA Basketball League in India. In Episode 44, he joins Hoopdarshan to talk to hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok about his experience leading the Haryana Gold, the Australian basketball scene, and his favourite emojis.

Hyams, a point-guard, has been in the UBA from its inception. Born in Pune to Jewish-Indian parents, he has played college basketball in the USA and professional basketball in Australia, Singapore, Philippines, and Belgium. He has trained with India's national basketball team under Coach Kenny Natt and worked with NBA India around the country holding basketball training sessions. In addition to the interview with Hyams, Kaushik and Karan also discuss the end of the Federation Cup and the upcoming NBA Playoffs.



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 

Australia's Basketball League NBL is being broadcast on Veqta in India

For an Indian basketball fan, there exists a common duality: focus on the game at home, and keep a curious eye on the game at its highest level, the NBA. Our fandom exists both towards Amjyot Singh and Kevin Durant, we will check on the results of the Indian national team as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers. We turn to whatever means we have - internet websites, TV, social media - to get the results and news we want and be fully updated. This duality often extends to FIBA international basketball, the Olympics, action from the Euroleague, or the growing CBA in China.

Now, for even the more passionate fans among us, there is yet another option, very easily available for Indian audiences. Veqta, a newly launched OTT platform for digital sports broadcasting, has signed a deal to broadcast Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) exclusively in India starting this season up to 2020-21. Veqta's various digital platforms could potentially help the NBL gain new fans in India who want to think beyond the NBA for foreign leagues.

The NBL is Australia's top basketball league. It was founded in 1979 and currently features eight teams - seven from Australia and one from New Zealand. The Perth Wildcats - the winningest franchise in NBL history - have started the 2016-17 season as reigning champions. Australian NBA players like Luc Longley and Patty Mills have played in the NBL in the past, as has 'Captain Jack' Stephen Jackson himself. The legendary Australian Andrew Gaze won seven NBL MVP awards.

Australia is fast-becoming a hub of international basketball talent. Their national squad 'The Boomers' - led by Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova - recently finished fourth in the Rio Olympics. A number of other intriguing talents like 76ers' number one pick Ben Simmons and Utah's Dante Exum have further shone the light on Aussie basketball. The NBL is ambitious to propel their international success to bring positive changes to the league back home as well. The new season of the NBL tipped off on October 6.

"We are delighted to have signed this partnership with VEQTA," said Jeremy Loeliger, General Manager of the NBL. "They are a young ambitious digital company that is taking an innovative approach to digital sports broadcasting. Just like Australia, India is a sports mad country and by partnering with VEQTA we have a fantastic opportunity to take the NBL to yet another one of the biggest sports markets in the world. There are currently in excess of 300 million smartphone users in India and by 2020 this figure is set to grow a staggering 260% to 800 million users. The opportunity to engage with India’s large, knowledgeable sports loving public is something the NBL is very excited about."

"Basketball is the number one school sport in tier 1 & 2 cities in India and has a very strong following in the young urban audience," said Veqta's co-foudner and director Gaurav Gill. "Indian sports fans have a growing apetite for high quality global sports content and VEQTA is committed to bringing them the best content from around the world. Through this long term digital rights agreement we believe that the viewership of NBL games will increase substantially in the country."

The Veqta mobile app focuses on a unique selection of sports for the Indian audience, including Cricket, Football, MMA, Wrestling, Basketball, Motorsports, Tennis, Badminton, Olympic Sports etc.

India's Palpreet Singh signs D-League contract and will be eligible to be drafted next month

India's basketball expectations are about to get updated once again. Palpreet Singh (21), the winner of the ACG-NBA Jump - India's first national basketball talent search programme - has now signed a contract with the NBA's D-League. This contract makes him eligible to be drafted in the NBDL on their draft night on October 30, 2016. Palpreet hopes to become the second Indian national to play in the D-League, following in the footsteps of Satnam Singh of the Texas Legends, the first Indian to be drafted into the NBA.

Palpreet Singh is a 6-foot-9 power forward originally from Sri Muktsar Sahib in south western Punjab. His big international breakthrough came with India’s junior squad at the 2012 FIBA U18 Asia Championship in Mongolia. Over the next three years, he played for India’s senior team and secured a backup spot behind our current superstar Punjabi frontcourt of Amjyot Singh and Amrit Pal Singh. He was part of the Indian squad that defeated China at the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup.

Palpreet's potential was spotted by NBA coaches at the ACG-NBA Jump Finals in Greater Noida earlier this year, coaches that included former NBA champion Brian Shaw. With his victory, he won an opportunity to take part in the D-League's National tryouts. Palpreet spent the first half of 2016 working with coaches in India to get his skillset ready for the NBA D-League. In early July, he headed to the USA to continue his training. He began training at the John Lucas Academy in Houston (Texas) and later, took part in the tryouts in New York City in mid-August. He remains on the grind now, still in New York City, where he is practicing with the New York Athletic Club.

The new contract doesn't mean that Palpreet is guaranteed to play in the D-League for the upcoming season; it only guarantees that he'll be among the eighty or so names who will be eligible on draft night.

"This opportunity only comes to a few people, I don’t want to lose it," Palpreet told NBA India over a phone interview recently. "This is a special chance and challenge for me, I want to make the most of it."

"The competition is tough but it is great to know you are competing with the best to play in the best league in the world," he said.

In an interview with the Indian Express' Shahid Judge, NBA India's Senior Director Carlos Barroca, who has followed Palpreet's improvements over the last few years, seemed optimistic of his chances to be drafted.

Off the over 300 hopefuls, the 21-year-old was one of the 80 who were eventually shortlisted to proceed to the draft phase of the selection. Yet within the final list, senior director of NBA India Carlos Barroca asserts the 6-foot-9 athlete has a strong chance of getting selected. “I’d say he’s somewhere in the middle of that 80. Everyone loved him during the trials,” he says.

Years ago, Palpreet Singh and Satnam Singh shared a common room at the Ludhiana Basketball Academy (LBA), Punjab's premier hoops institution where they both trained to become the Indian basketball stars that they are today. Hopefully, the two Punjabis will see their paths cross again across the pond and double the butter chicken order in the D-League for the next season.

Australia planning 'IPL' of basketball

So get this: impressed by the media frenzy and commercial success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) of Twenty-20 cricket in India, the Australians are planning a similarly-themed basketball tournament to boost the games popularity in their own country.

From the Brisbane Times:

A radical $250,000 basketball tournament, being billed as the Indian Premier League of hoops, is being planned to help revitalise the sport in Australia.
The week-long tournament, to be held in Adelaide in April, will feature eight privately-owned teams competing for a cash prize and playing under amended rules to encourage high scores and entertaining play.

Teams would earn money according to how far they progress in the tournament, in the same way tennis players do.
The rule restructures are being kept under wraps but may involve cricket-style power plays, where a team is reduced by a player for a period of time, or extra incentive to score points at various stages of the game.

Some of the biggest names in Australian basketball are likely to take part, while owners also have the option of securing the services of overseas stars if deals can be reached.

Now, I've been discussing a possibility of an NBA-inspired basketball league in India for while. In my interview with Indian basketball starlet Divya Singh, Divya said that she believed "... a league will increase the competition level, provide regular games and exposure for players, and will be attractive to the fans.”

Australia already has an NBA-style National Basketball League (NBL), but now they are looking forward to emulating the success of the IPL. I think the intentions are good: more exciting basketball, marketed the right way, will increase fan interest. But this is a dangerous model for us in India should get too romanticized by. I mean, the ideas of 'powerplay' of playing five on four on the court, or points counting more at certain times of the games just make me cringe. These silly rules only end up leading real basketball towards silly exhibitionist stuff, like a Harlem Globetrotter-esque show, or worse Slamball.

An exciting thought, and I would be excited to see if, over the course of time, the BFI create something similar in their footsteps in terms of marketing and increased TV coverage, but please let's not lose the fundamentals.