After Sim, NBA in sight for 7’2” Satnam

MUMBAI: From Ballo Ke to Boston — another NBA dream takes shape. After Sim Bhullar, another Indian is inching closer to fulfilling his dream of making it to the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Satnam Singh Bhamra, a strapping 19-year-old from Ballo Ke village in Barnala district of Punjab, took another step towards the NBA on Thursday when he participated in a training session with the Boston Celtics.

Standing at 7 feet 2 inches and weighing 132 kg, Satnam impressed the Boston representatives present at his workout, NBA India informed in a release. “He’s a little raw, but he shoots really well. He’s a big, strong kid,” Danny Ainge, president of Basketball Operations for the Celtics, was quoted as saying. “He’s humongous. He’s really, really big. He’s a very nice kid and has an interesting story.”

Satnam, who is hoping to become the first India-born player at the NBA, has been with the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, since 2010 and hoping to turn professional this year.

Recently, he played for the academy’s post graduate team and 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.

He drew recruiting interest from universities like Purdue, Pittsburgh, USC, USF and UMass but did not make the cut. IMG Academy though has proposed his name for the 2015 NBA draft.