Meet the NBA’s First Indian Player

By Qimmah Saafir Apr 08, 2015

Sim Bhullar has become the first player of Indian descent to join a team in the history of the NBA. The Sacramento Kings welcomed Bhullar with a 10-day contract. 

The 22-year-old was raised in Canada and went undrafted out of New Mexico State after playing in AAU ball in Toronto. He spent the past season in the NBA Development League’s Reno Bighorns after completing training camp with the Kings.

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, who is also a successful and well-known businessman in India, is a huge advocate for Bhullar. The team’s coach George Karl, whose son plays on the same D-League team as Bhullar, is also in favor of a future in pro ball for the 7-foot-5 center:

Our game is becoming an international game and India is becoming one of the greatest, largest, biggest democracies in the world. I think it’s a good story and hopefully we’ll find some minutes for him.

Bhullar is working hard at conditioning himself for a possible career in the NBA. He’s currently averaging 10.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.9 blocks in the D-League this season.

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