Singh came from Punjab to the US 5 years ago on a scholarship.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Satnam Singh Bhamara, a 7’1” 290-pound Indian basketball prodigy, is exploring the possibility of declaring for the NBA Draft, according to Sport Illustrated. If he makes it to the league, he would become the first Indian national to ever play at the top level of professional basketball.
Singh hails from Ballo Ke, a village of about 800 in the Indian state of Punjab. SI reported his father, Balbir, farms wheat at a house that is four miles from the nearest paved road. Singh emigrated to the United States in September 2010 as part of a scholarship program between IMG and Reliance, one of the most influential companies in India. In the five years since then, he’s gone from speaking no English to becoming comfortable in conversation.
Singh decided he will enter the draft next year after not qualifying for any U.S. college scholarships. The towering 19-year-old is generally considered India’s best shot at producing its first NBA player, and it’s no secret that the NBA considers India one of the greatest untapped basketball markets in the world.
Similar to how Yao Ming galvanized basketball in China to the point where it has become the most-watched sport among the world’s largest national population, Singh has been considered a potential lightning rod for popularizing basketball in India, the globe’s second-most populated nation.
Despite not garnering any scholarships, Singh previously drew recruiting interest from Purdue, Pittsburgh, USC, USF and UMass. He currently hones his skills in Florida at IMG Academy, where he played for the post graduate team. SI reported he averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in less than 20 minutes per game for the No. 2 team in the country.
“I do think he’ll end up in the NBA because I’ve seen his progress over the last four years,” said IMG Director of Basketball Kenny Natt, the former interim coach of the Sacramento Kings. “I’ve been in the league and know how guys like Satnam are looked upon. He has size, strength, and touch. He has good hands and can run the floor. Those are the types of things that NBA teams value.”
Indian American Sim Bullar, a 7’5″ center from Canada, became the first player of Indian descent to appear in the NBA earlier this month when a substitution allowed him to make a cameo for the Sacramento Kings.
However, Sport Illustrated noted Singh’s game is considered to have a bigger upside than Bhullar’s, and his presence in the NBA would likely reverberate more in India because he was born there.