Satnam Singh Becomes The First Player of Indian Origin To Be Selected in NBA

Satnam Singh Bhamara is a 23 year old from Punjab tends to be an Indian professional basketball player currently part of the St. John's Edge of the National Basketball League (NBL) of Canada.

He has now marked his name in the history by becoming the first ever Indian basketball player to be included in the National Basketball Association (NBA) when the Dallas Mavericks recognized Satnam Singh with the 52nd overall rank of the 2015 NBA draft. He is 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall and 290 pounds (130 kg) weighted. Currently he is playing at the center position in the St. John's Edge. The high school basketball was played by him at IMG Academy located in Bradenton, Florida. He was born to Balbir Singh and Sukhwinder Kaur in the Baloke village of the state of Punjab. Singh's father and grandfather played basketball because of exceptional height but for earning they were wheat farmers and millers. When Satnam Singh was just 9 years old he was privileged to have a height of 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m), this being taller than most of the young guys in his village. His father introduced him to game of basketball and he thus for practice mounted a hoop in a dirt courtyard. By the time his generous physical growth made the basketball shrink in his hands with the span of time. Singh when introduced to the youth leagues of state witnessed great success. At the younger age he was enrolled at Ludhiana Basketball Academy in Punjab. At the priority there he learned several basketball skills and drills. At age 13, Singh was heighted 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m), weighed 230 pounds (104 kg), and with a shoe size-18. On getting the exposure of professional basketball like the NBA, he began learning from his idol Kobe Bryant and shaping his game alike Yao Ming and Dwight Howard. In April 2015, Satnam was dictated as an entrant for the 2015 season of NBA draft. At the draft declared on June 25, 2015, he was thus selected by the coach, Dallas Mavericks with the overall pick at 52nd spot, thus became the first ever Indian-born player to be included for debut into the NBA. Singh also got remarked as the first since the 2005 draft of NBA who enters without playing even a single match in college, overseas and in the NBA Development League.

By: Anuja Arora

Content: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/how-satnam-singhs-father-inspired-him-to-take-up-basketball/articleshow/67665674.