NBA(NEW DELHI) — In hopes of reaching a cricket-obsessed fanbase, the NBA has opened an elite training center in India.
The league announced on Tuesday the official opening of NBA Academy India at Jaypee Greens Integrated Sports Complex in Delhi National Capital Region. Twenty-one male prospects will receive scholarships to attend the academy. They were selected after a three-month, nationwide talent search.
“The opening of our first academy in India is an important milestone in the NBA’s efforts to grow basketball in India and demonstrates our commitment to developing talent and shaping the game’s future here,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said in a statement.
In 2015, Satnam Singh Bhamara became the first Indian to be drafted into the NBA, joining the Dallas Mavericks as a center.
The opening of NBA Academy India follows the launch of training centers in China and Senegal. Another one is planned for Australia.
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