Four Indian cagers for Oz NBL draft

MUMBAI: In what is a clear indication of the growing stature of Indian basketball, four key members of the Indian national team have been invited to try their luck in the pro basketball league in Australia.

The four players — Amjyot Singh Gill, Amritpal Singh, Yadwinder Singh, and Vishesh Bhriguvanshi — have been invited by the National Basketball League (NBL) of Australia to participate in the NBL Draft combine for the 2017-18 season.

The combine is set to take place on April 17 and 18 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. A total of 80 players are expected to participate in the combine, according to information received from the Basketball Federation of India.

These will include returning US college players, South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) players, Australian state league players, and members of Australia’s national U-18 and U-20 teams. It is an opportunity for coaches and scouts of different NBL teams to gauge the talent at hand and sign the players they believe could help their team. If selected, the Indian players will be part of the next season of NBL, which has created a new category for Asian players, and they will not be included as part of regular intake of three foreign players each team is permitted.

The NBL, which started in late 1970s, is considered among the top leagues in the Asia/Oceania region and is gaining popularity and attracting attention and talent from all over the world.