Satnam Singh Bhamara: It feels great to be the 1st player from India to make it to the NBA
19-year-old Satnam Singh Bhamara created history earlier today by becoming the first Indian to be drafted by an NBA team, when he was taken with the 52nd pick by the Dallas Mavericks. The 7'2” tall Satnam was very happy with the selection, and had earlier tried out for teams like the Mavericks, the Washington Wizards, the Boston Celtics and the Sacramento Kings.
Following his selection, we spoke to him for a short while, asking him about the whole experience and how it felt to be the 1st Indian to make it to the NBA. Here are the excerpts from the conversation –
Congratulations, Satnam! Were you very nervous last night, thinking about the draft, and how it would go?
Thank you so much. I wasn't very nervous actually, but I couldn't really sleep or eat out of excitement. I had declared for the draft with the single-minded intention of getting selected, and I am very happy that happened.
Did you think you had a good chance to be drafted, after all your workouts with different teams?
Yes, I was confident that I had shown what I could do during the draft workouts, and was optimistic that some team would definitely be willing to give me a shot, and I am very happy that Dallas did. I made good preparations and it paid off. It feels great that someone from India will be playing in the NBA.
How does it feel to be the first Indian in the NBA and what message does it send to budding players?
It feels great to be the 1st player from India to make it to the NBA. I would want more Indians to take up basketball at the professional level and try and play in the NBA. The youngsters back home can now look up to someone as motivation, and I hope that many more come in the future to play in the NBA.
Who would you like to thank in India for helping you go this far?
The one person I would like to thank profusely is my late coach Dr. Subramaniam. Without his guidance and support, I would never have reached these heights, and I owe it to him to perform well now. I miss him a lot. He helped me a lot, and I don't have the words to describe that feeling. I would say he is the best coach.
Have you spoken to your family as yet? What do you have to say to them?
I haven't spoken to them as yet, but will speak to them in some time. I was praying to the Gods that I do get drafted, just like my parents, especially my mother and my sister, who have been praying for me for a long time now. I am just happy that their wishes have been fulfilled.
How important have Coach Natt and Coach Dan Barto been to your development?
Both Coach Natt and Coach Barto have been very important to helping me improve my game here in the United States. They suggested that I should try out for the NBA Draft. I have been working with Coach Natt's IMG team, and it has been great fun playing with them. Both my coaches have been making working me very hard, and it is great to see that their efforts have paid off. I am grateful to them for their support.
You will soon be playing for the Dallas Mavericks, whose franchise player Dirk Nowitzki has a similar story. A young kid who came from Germany and is now an NBA legend. What do you hope to learn from him?
I first spoke to the Dallas Mavericks after I worked out for them. I had a couple of meetings with the coaching staff, they asked me about my background, how I reached the IMG academy, and why I want to join the NBA. I told them it is my dream to represent my country in the NBA and that I wanted to be the first to do it.
Definitely, I will learn a lot by playing with Dirk Nowitzki. I am looking forward to working with him, and I am sure I will get to know a lot just by practising with him.
Who is your role model in the NBA?
Kobe Bryant, he is a class apart, and he is someone who inspires me to do better.
Finally, have you spoken to Sim Bhullar, who played for the Sacramento Kings last season, becoming the 1st person of Indian-origin to play in the NBA?
Yes, Sim Bhullar and I spoke. He congratulated me on my selection and wished me all the best.