To foster awareness of the NBA in visits to Chennai, Mumbai.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Sacramento Kings player Isaiah Thomas will visit India this month to promote basketball – and, more specifically, the National Basketball Association – in two of the country’s biggest cities.
Thomas (25), who has been with the Kings since they drafted him in 2011, will visit Mumbai and Chennai over the course of a week, participating in a wide variety of activities intended to foster increased interest in, and awareness of, the NBA in India. The move is important for both the Kings organization itself, and the league as a whole, both of which have made concentrated efforts to tap into the Indian market of late.
“I’m honored to be representing the Kings and the entire NBA in India this offseason and will do whatever I can to help grow the game here by inspiring children,” said Thomas, in a statement.
Thomas will be visiting local schools and basketball clinics in both cities, meeting with children in the classroom and on the court to provide mentorship and build up excitement for professional American basketball. He will visit the IES School in Dadar, Mumbai, as well as a local government school in Chennai.
Additionally, Thomas will be on-hand for the tip-off of Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA’s Basketball Hoops Infrastructure Project. He will also be appearing on channel Sony SIX, providing color commentary and analysis during what promises to be an incredibly exciting NBA Finals. The best-of-seven series begins tonight, with the Miami Heat visiting the San Antonio Spurs.
But, perhaps biggest of all, Thomas will participate in a live Google Hangout on June 7, connecting with possibly thousands of fans across the country to promote the NBA’s brand-new apparel store that opened last month in Mumbai.
In a statement, Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé expressed his excitement that one of his own players will be visiting India to promote the game of basketball. Ranadivé is the first Indian-origin NBA owner in the league’s history, and has spoken extensively about wanting to use his ownership to promote basketball around the world, particularly in his home country.
“We are extremely excited to have a member of the Sacramento Kings visit India this summer, and Isaiah’s passion for the game and the community makes him a great ambassador for the sport in India,” said Ranadivé. “One of the key aspects of my NBA 3.0 vision is deepening the global imprint of basketball and India is a prime example of this. Basketball is rapidly becoming one of India’s most popular sports, second only to cricket, and interest in the game is expanding every day. I also have no doubt that India will one day become a hotbed of NBA-caliber talent.”
Other NBA stars who have gone to India in the past to help cultivate the game’s fan-base include Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers), Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets), and Chris Bosh (Miami Heat).Taken in the 2011 NBA Draft with the 60th overall pick, Thomas – who is 5’9” and plays guard – has turned into a key component of the Sacramento Kings team. During this past season, which didn’t go too well for the Kings, he averaged 34.7 minutes per game, 20.3 points per game, 6.3 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and field goal percentage of 45.3% – all of which are career highs.
Other NBA stars who have gone to India in the past to help cultivate the game’s fan-base include Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers), Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets), and Chris Bosh (Miami Heat).