Barnala’s Satnam slam-dunks his way into NBA

Deepankar Sharda / Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Ballo Ke, June 26

Satnam Singh Bhamara from Ballo Ke village in Barnala district has become the first Indian basketball player to be drafted in the NBA League. The 7-foot-2-inch 19-year-old was selected by Dallas Mavericks in the NBA draft on Thursday night.

Bhamara, who recently trained with Washington Wizards, was the 52nd pick out of the 60 selected in the draft. He plays in the centre position and is noted for his “height, strength and potential to make a quick impact”.

When his name was announced, Bhamara got up and hugged his two cousins and broke into tears. Soon after that, on the phone line from New York, Bhamara said: “Bahut khushi di gal hai, mere te mere parivar layi. (It’s a matter of great happiness for me and my family).

"We certainly created a legend," Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. "There's a billion new Mavs fans out there right now." Bhamara’s family, following the NBA draft closely, began celebrating early in the morning after he was selected and the rest of the village joined in.

His father Balbir Singh remembered the time when, at age nine, Bhamara was sent away for coaching. “He was standing at five feet nine inches then, and I knew our small boy was made do big things,” said Balbir Singh, who is an inch shorter than his son. “I told my wife that he will have to go out.”

Bhamara himself is grateful to his parents and coaches, and did not forget to thank his early coach, the late S. Subramanium, and former Basketball Federation of India CEO Harish Sharma. “These two persons played an important role in making my career,” Bhamara said. “I had never thought of catching a flight and landing up in the NBA. I believe it’s the start of new era for Indian players. It’s a proud moment for me that it all started with me.”

Asked about his pre-draft practice sessions with Dallas Mavericks, Bhamara said that those sessions helped him to impress the club’s top brass. “I believe my hard work and improvement in the game over the years is what really attracted Dallas Mavericks to bag me,” he said. 

“We have many players in the NBA with such built and it’s how about how quick one plays on the court. My built surely helped me in getting the attention of coaches back in India, which made me adopt basketball,” Bhamara said.

After being selected, Bhamara was congratulated by Sim Bhullar, the Canadian-born player who became the first Indian-origin player to figure in the NBA. “Soon after the draft, Sim congratulated me, and it was good to get a Punjabi hug,” said Bhamara, adding “It was like getting the blessings from an elder brother.”