Can NBA’s debut in India change the perception towards basketball?

Despite India not being very well placed in international basketball rankings(India ranks 74th in the list of basketball playing countries), the game has been gaining steady popularity since last few years, especially among the school students. NBA has been a marquee event for basketball fans across the globe and keeps getting exciting with every season. 

Satnam Singh, India’s first and only basketball player to feature in NBA till date, did grab a lot of headlines when he was selected to play the NBA. He because a huge source of inspiration for the young lads that the bollywood even announced a biopic on his name. With the trend being set and NBA games finally being played in India, there are now speculations that this will be a big boost for the reputation for the game in India and will motivate millions of young Indians to play the game, both habitually and professionally. 

With initiatives like Fit India and Khelo India, the central government has been encouraging the individuals to take up sports along with their studies and the initiative has started to gain momentum. The two NBA games, on 4th and 5th october 2019, will be broadcast live on television and millions of Indians will follow them on the internet with their mobile phones.  

“These games are an important milestone in the continued growth of basketball in India. We are thrilled that on October 4, India will play host to the first ever game where two NBA teams will play in a stadium full of kids as part of our partnership with Reliance Foundation ESA - a once in a lifetime opportunity for players of both teams. It is very important to our business – and teams recognise the enormous opportunity to play in the first NBA game in India. Fans, partners, media and celebrities are looking forward to these games – and they offer tremendous exposure for teams and players. They also deepen the connection with our fans, especially with the various community events. The games further demonstrate and support how global our game is,” Diane Gotua, vice president of global business operations, NBA, told media. 

Reliance Foundation has been instrumental in promoting the game of basketball to many schools and smaller cities and there has been an increased adoption among students. With this championship, there will be more opportunities for everyone including students, player associations, the government and various brands. Basketball is a fast growing game and hopefully, it can find many more players like Satnam Singh in the coming time. 

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