NBA picks Palpreet Brar for D-League tryout in US

NAGPUR: Exactly 10 months after Satnam Singh sent his credentials for the 2015 draft of National Basketball Association, another Ludhiana Academy cager Palpreet Singh Brar was on Thursday selected for the 2016 NBA Development League tryout in the United States. The D-League tryout, scheduled in June, is a prelude to the world's best basketball league.
On April 25, 2015, Satnam declared himself "ready" for the NBA draft, while Palpreet won the NBA-ACG Jump national finals in Noida on Thursday.
With the aim to introduce more Indians in the star-studded league, NBA-India in association with the ACG Worldwide Group, launched a national talent hunt programme in October last year to provide Indian hoopsters a pathway directly to the NBA.
The first-of-its-kind training camp-cum-trials was NBA's maiden talent search programme held across six cities from where 32 players were picked for the national trials at Noida. Palpreet became the best prospect and now stands a chance to earn a spot in the NBA D-League roster. The D-League is NBA's official minor league where almost all the top basketball stars have played before making it big in NBA.
Former NBA champion Brian Shaw, who was at the national camp in Noida for two days, was "impressed" with Palpreet's work ethic and court skills. "Palpreet, we all thought, was the guy who had the best chance to succeed," said Shaw, adding, "His feel for the game and understanding, I could tell he grasps it."
Much like Satnam, Palpreet too has learned the basics of the game at Ludhiana Basketball Academy and was a protege of the dynamic late Dr S Subramanian, one of the best Indian coaches. Born and brought up at Muktsar Sahaib, the 6-foot-9 centre started playing basketball in 2010 and has played a couple of nationals with Satnam. Having first represented the country in 2012 in the U-18 Fiba Asia championship in 2012, the 21-year-old got able guidance from the then national coach Scott Flemming.
Excited on being picked, Palpreet said, "I am thankful to ACG NBA Jump for this opportunity. Now that I am going to compete with some of the best in the world, I will focus on becoming a stronger player."
NBA's first talent hunt programme was the brain child of NBA-India's managing director Yannick Colaco, who alongwith ACG director Karan Singh decided to hone the untapped talent pool of basketball in India. "ACG-NBA Jump has given basketball playing youth in India a pathway to professional ranks. While Palpreet has been selected for a national tryout in the NBA D-League, the entire pool will be a part of Elite Talent Club and NBA will monitor their progress on a regular basis," Colaco told TOI.
On the initiative, Karan Singh said, "Promotion of sports and youth development has always been a part of ACG's CSR vision and we are excited for Palpreet and hope that he makes a long lasting impression in US during the D-League national tryout."
Palpreet will continue to undergo training with NBA certified coaches in India until the D-League tryout in June 2016.