New Delhi, Sep 24 (Basketball News) Basketball player Satnam Singh Bhamara, who became the first Indian to be drafted into an NBA team before being banned or doping, has decided to try his hand at wrestling by sealing a deal with a professional league in the USA.

The 25-year-old Singh, who created history when he was picked in the NBA draft by Dallas Mavericks in 2015, will begin his training to be a pro wrestler at the Atlanta-based Nightmare Factory, to compete in the All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Singh follows in the footsteps of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, who squared off alongside Jade Cargill in a mixed tag team match against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet on "AEW: Dynamite" in March.

"While we've recently secured some of the hottest free agents on the planet, I’m also deeply committed to cultivating our own homegrown stars and the next generation of extraordinary professional wrestlers," Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW, said in a media release.

"In addition to Satnam's commanding 7'3" stature, I was impressed with his high level of athleticism and charisma. He's an exciting addition to our roster, and I'm looking forward to our fans getting to know Satnam's personality and watching his development." Singh is currently serving a two-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency's (NADA) disciplinary panel for failing a dope test in 2019.

His suspension is due to end on November 19.

Also Read : Los Angeles Lakers vs Brooklyn Nets: The battle between two superteams

News Source : PTI

(Basketball news) As the new NBA season draws closer and the majority of the free agents found respective homes, the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets emerged as the strongest teams without a shadow of a doubt. Even though last year's NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks and finalist Phoenix Suns remain relatively unchanged from last season, both teams don’t possess the historical talent that the Lakers and Nets have.

The Lakers last season got eliminated in the 1st round of the playoff series by the Phoenix Suns but this season Rob Pelinka (General Manager) made sure that the same thing isn't repeated. At the end of last season, Lakers managed to pull off a blockbuster trade where they managed to get 9 times NBA all star and 2016-17 MVP Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. With Lebron James and Anthony Davis already in the team, adding Westbrook makes them the team to beat in the Western Conference. With the Lakers adding former NBA all stars Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo in free agency their roster looks more dangerous than before.

The Brooklyn Nets last season pulled off the trade of the decade by getting James Harden from Houston Rockets, adding to a roster which already contained Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Last season, according to all experts, the Nets should have the NBA Championship but were beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference final, although injuries hampered the squad which eventually led to their downfall last season. This season Steve Nash (Coach of Nets) will be hoping that his stars remain fit as they have already added former all stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Paul Milsap to an already staked roster.

With both teams' ambition of winning a NBA championship last year not being fulfilled, the teams will be even more hungry to reach the NBA final this season. The Los Angeles Lakers have got back the championship core which won the NBA 2 years ago but the key advantage that the Lakers have over the Nets is the championship experience they have in their roster. On the other hand, the Nets have arguably the best trio in American sports history as on any given day James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Iriving can beat any team just based on their talent. As the fans eagerly wait for the start of the new season the NBA finals looks destined to be between these two teams unless and until injuries hamper them both. This is a site that not only the basketball fans want to watch but the sports fans in general will also tune in.

Also read: Virtual development program launched by NBA Academy for top female prospects from outside the US

The Los Angeles Roster:

Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Marc Gasol, Trevor Ariza, Rajon Rondo,Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, DeAndre Jordan, Russell Westbrook, Kent Bazemore, Anthony Davis, Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker.

The Brooklyn Nets Roster:

Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, Patty Mills, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, Nic Claxton , Bruce Brown, Cam Thomas, James Johnson, DeAndre Bembry, Jevon Carter, Day’Ron Sharpe.

New Delhi, Aug 13 (Basketball news) Only the second Indian to debut in the NBA Summer League, young basketball player Princepal Singh says his journey has been nothing short of a "dream" and he is working on his fitness and skills to achieve his next goal of playing in the NBA.

Singh, who hails from Gurdaspur, Punjab, followed his Ludhiana basketball Academy teammate Satnam Singh in making his debut at the Summer league when he turned up for Sacramento Kings against Washington Wizards at Las Vegas on Tuesday night.

"It's amazing to play in the Summer League. I am very happy with my progress as a player. I played G league first and now playing in Summer league, and I am working towards the NBA. I didn't think I will reach this far. It sometimes feels like a dream," Singh said during a virtual press conference.

"My next goal is playing at NBA, Satnam Singh was the first Indian to play and I want to play for long time in NBA, so my focus is on taking care of my body and keeping myself fit." Satnam had played in the Summer League in 2016 after being first drafted in the NBA by Dallas Mavericks in 2015.

Also read: Top 5 best remaining free agents in the NBA

The 20-year-old Singh, whose first professional stint was with the NBA Academy's Ignite team in the G-League, made a brief appearance of just a minute and 22 seconds during the match, which they won 89-75.

"It is a great experience to play against the top players in Summer League. They are all NBA players, who have been drafted. Lot of learning and my game is improving," said Singh, the first-ever NBA Academy India graduate to feature in a Summer League game.

"My coach (Bobby Jackson) asked me to play hard, said I should focus on my game and I will get more time. He asked me to focus on strong rebounding and defense and look to score.

"There is no pressure on me. I have played one game so far. It is just that now getting less game time. So hopefully I will get more time in future. I want to just focus on giving my 100 percent and prove myself." Asked what he learnt from his stint in 'G League Ignite', he said: "I learnt how the pro players conduct themselves off the court, how hard they play, how they help each other." On the basketball scene in India, Singh said: "The sport is growing in India but due to the lockdowns no one has been able to play basketball.

"But the league that is starting in India it will be a good opportunity for the Indian players, they will get more chances. The India league offers good money and if they can work hard, they can achieve a lot through the league.

"Now there will be a 3x3 professional league with Basketball Federation of India. It is a good thing. NBA India was a good initiative, it is spreading the awareness and hopefully sport will grow like cricket one day." '3BL' is India's only FIBA recognized 3x3 professional basketball league which was recognised by BFI in June. 

News source: PTI

(Basketball news) Word has gotten around that the NBA free agency is over, but the reality is far from it. Just because a player is unsigned does not mean he can’t change the fortunes of the club that eventually offers him a contract, and there are always diamonds in the rubble that just need to be unearthed.

Here are our top five picks of free agents in the NBA

1. Langston Galloway

Galloway has been a victim of circumstance and despite there not being a big demand for players on rotation, he would be a solid signing for any team in need of backcourt help. Last season, Galloway played mostly off the ball, shooting 43.8 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s but was stuck behind Chris Paul, Devin Booker and the emerging Cameron Payne. He’s a player that could emerge as a ‘deal’ for any team.

2. Lauri Markkanen

As a restricted free agent, Markkanen finds himself in an unfortunate position where the Bulls can match any offer he receives or negotiate a sign and trade. There have been reports that the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets are interested in Markkanen, who lacks a player of his stature in their teams. Under normal circumstances, a 24 year old of his calibre would be signed in an instant, but Markkanen had not made 3s at an above average rate until shooting 40 percent last season. Teams who would be willing to gamble based on his flashes of brilliance for the Chicago Bulls are the ideal candidate for Lauri Markkanen.

3. Josh Hart

Just like Lauri Markkanen, Josh Hart is a restricted free agent but his quality is much more evident. The 6 feet 5 player is an excellent rebounder and can hold his own guarding bigger players. Being a restricted free agent has complicated Hart’s circumstances as teams love versatile wings but would need to meet New Orleans’ asking price for a sign and trade deal or need cap space to sign him to an offer sheet.

4. Avery Bradley

Thirty one year old Avery Bradley became a free agent after the Rockets rejected his $5.9 million player option. He is expected to be a candidate for Lakers' roster spots after being a part of the team in 2019-2020 and because they need a point-of-attack defensive player and Bradley certainly fits that profile with a decent shoot percentage and smart cutting.

5. Wesley Matthews

Despite having a less than impressive last season where Wesley Matthews had a shoot percentage of 37.5 on catch-and-shoot 3s, the 34 year old remains a solid option for Los Angeles as a switchable defender. It would also be a complete love story if Matthews signs for the Jazz who signed him as an undrafted rookie 12 years ago.

Also read: Virtual development program launched by NBA Academy for top female prospects from outside the US

NEW YORK– The National Basketball Association (NBA) on Tuesday launched the NBA Academy Women’s Virtual Program, an eight-week basketball and leadership development program for over 40 of the top female, high-school age (14-17 years old) prospects from outside the USA.

Under the guidance of current and former WNBA players and the NBA Academy Staff, participants will join with their peers from across the globe and participate in basketball and life skills development programming.

Any parent or legal guardian interested in submitting an application on behalf of their child should submit their child’s HomeCourt profile or upload a skills video as outlined in the application form on the NBA Academy website by June 18.  NBA Academy Women’s Virtual Program participants will be announced in June, with the program starting in July and running through August.

As part of the program’s on-court curriculum, participants will be provided with weekly virtual basketball lessons, instructions and challenges featuring present and former WNBA athletes. The interactive lessons will feature a range of shooting, ball handling and conditioning drills to promote holistic skill development. The best performing players will be considered for in-person basketball development camps and showcases in future.

The life skills programming will include weekly sessions focusing on leadership development, nutrition, goal setting, personal branding, mental health and wellness, player pathway education and women’s empowerment.  Sessions will have guest speakers and experts from across the NBA and WNBA family, including NBA Academy Women’s Program Global Technical Director and 1996 Olympic Gold Medallist Jennifer Azzi.

“The NBA Academy Women’s Virtual Program will continue our mission of helping young women around the world develop as people and players,” said Azzi.  “International players are making a significant impact at all levels of the women’s game, and this program will help top international prospects connect with their peers, learn directly from WNBA players and continue their development.”

25 participants have committed to NCAA Division I schools since the launch of NBA Academy Women’s Program in 2018. Han Xu from China became the first NBA Academy Women’s program participant to be drafted into the WNBA when she was chosen 14th overall by the New York Liberty in the 2019 WNBA Draft.
 

New Delhi, Jun 3 NBA Academy India graduate Lalhnehpuia Chhakchhuak has enrolled at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois, becoming the sixth male student-athlete from the academy to commit to a high school or college basketball programme in the US.

Chhakchhuak first participated in the 2017-18 Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program before joining NBA Academy India in 2018 as a part of the academy's second class of student-athletes identified through the ACG-NBA Jump program.

The 6-1 guard represented NBA Academy India at the 2018 and 2019 NBA Academy Games in Australia and the US, respectively, as well as the Point Loma Nazarene Team Camp in San Diego in 2019.

"I am looking forward to this opportunity at North Park University that will keep me on the pathway I have set out on," said Chhakchhuak.

"This wouldn't have been possible without the guidance of the coaching staff at the NBA Academy India and the constant support of my family." "We are certainly excited to add a player like Lalhnehpuia to our squad. In particular we like his size at the guard position and as he continues to get stronger we can envision how he can become an important piece within our program," said North Park head coach Thomas Slyder.

"His ability to play at the speed and pace he prefers to play at is an important characteristic for a guard to have." In addition to Lalhnehpuia, five other NBA Academy India student-athletes have committed to playing basketball in the US -- Harshwardhan Tomar (KEBA Preparatory School), Jagshaanbir Singh (Golden State Prep, Point Park University), Pranav Prince (First Love Christian Academy), Amaan Sandhu (First Love Christian Academy), and Riyanshu Negi (DME Sports Academy).

Princepal Singh became the first NBA Academy India graduate to sign a professional contract when he signed with the NBA G League Ignite.

NBA Academy India is an elite basketball training centre for the top prospects from across the country. New source PTI

NBA Champions L.A Lakers are going through a rough patch. The absence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis have resulted in four consecutive losses despite a spirited comeback attempt in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. For the most part, the game was evenly fought with the return of Marc Gosol who was playmaking from the center while the efforts of Dennis Schröder, Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope resulted in a total of 64 points. The ejection of Dwight Howard in the first quarter after bumping into Montrezl Harrell levelled the playing field for the two sides. The Lakers have a lot of positives to take despite the result, having been as much as 18 points down, they reduced the deficit to just three with less than a minute on the clock. Danny Green laid the final blow to his former team with 28 points in just 14 attempts and played an instrumental role in giving Philadelphia 76ers an 18 point lead. The Lakers currently have a 1.5 game lead over the Denver Nuggets and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, 8 am IST with the hope of getting back to winning ways without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The New Orleans Pelicans ended a seven game losing streak against the L.A Lakers who played their second consecutive game without LeBron James. The Lakers also missed former Pelicans forward Anthony Davis who has been absent in the last month due to a calf strain. Brandon Ingram scored 36 points while Zion Williamson scored 27 points and 9 rebounds. Williamson has now set a record of 20 + points in 21 straight games, the most for a player under the age of 21 in NBA history. Ingram on the other hand was responsible for 65.2% of his team’s points in the third quarter, a ruthless display against his former team. It’s looking like a rough stretch of games for the NBA Champions who will look to overturn their form despite the absence of Anthony Davis and LeBron James. The trade deadline will end on March 25th with the Lakers facing Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) The National Basketball Association (NBA), in collaboration with Reliance Foundation, on Thursday announced the return of its junior program for boys and girls across India. The 12-week live series, which will be conducted via Zoom and is free to anyone who wants to attend, tipped off on March 6 with a clinic hosted by Chicago Sky guard Sydney Colson of the WNBA. "The series will feature NBA, WNBA and NBA G League players, legends and coaches engaging participants in skill development, leadership and life skills sessions every Saturday morning IST," said the NBA in a statement. Two-time NBA All-Star Roy Hibbert will host the clinic on Saturday. Returning for the eighth consecutive year, the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program is a youth development initiative that aims to develop the game at the grassroots level. "Since its launch in 2013, the program has reached more than 11 million youth from more than 13,000 schools across 34 cities and has trained more than 13,000 physical education instructors nationwide," the statement added.

Bambolim, Feb 9 (PTI) Their play-off hopes fast receding, a desperate Chennaiyin FC will seek a turnaround when they take on Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League match here on Wednesday. Things just aren't going Chennaiyin's way. Their last game, a goalless draw against Bengaluru, was the ninth time they had failed to score this season -- the most by any team. Now, they find themselves in desperate need of results, if they aspire to reach the play-offs for the second straight time. At this stage, with plenty of other teams also fighting for the play-off spots, nothing less than a win in each game will suffice for the Marina Machans. And they'll be hoping to do just that when they face Jamshedpur FC at the GMC Stadium here. Chennaiyin now find themselves six points off the top four. The task appears difficult, but it's still mathematically possible. And Chennaiyin coach Csaba Laszlo has urged his team to keep fighting till the end. "We still hope and we don't give up our target of being in the top four. The possibility is there. And tomorrow's game will not only be important for Jamshedpur but for the other teams as well," he said. Chennaiyin's struggle in front of the goal have continued to cost them points despite the two-time winners creating plenty of chances. They have now not scored from open play for five games straight. "We know we are capable of winning games but we need to use our chances better. Even in the offensive part, we need more consistency. To miss so many chances after creating them isn't normal. But we trust our players and we keep going and try to play our football," Laszlo said. Meanwhile, Jamshedpur are placed a spot above their opponents with just a point separating them. "They're a tough team," said JFC coach Owen Coyle. "They've certainly created a lot of chances, but they haven't been as clinical as what they could be, but we know they are very tough opponents." "We can look to the next game as a cup final because we have to get points from that to keep on trying to reduce the deficit. Obviously, the teams that are already there have the advantage. "And that's the only way for us to get there. We have to try and win games to reach that spot if it becomes available."

According to a press release by the NBA, the NBA All Star Voting 2021 presented by AT&T will commence from today, Jan 28th to Tuesday, Feb 16th. It will give the fans the chance to vote for the NBA All-Star starters. Discussions about a potential NBA All-Star game are ongoing. In the duration of the voting period, fans can submit one full ballot everyday using the NBA App and NBA.com as well as vote for 10 different players per day on Twitter. Every current NBA player is available for selection. NBA players and media will join the fans in selection of the NBA All - Star starters. Fans will have 50% of the vote whereas current players and a media panel will account for 25% each. After tallying all the votes, the players will be ranked in each conference by position (guard and front court) within each of the 3 voting groups - the fans, players and media votes. The NBA All Star starters will be announced from the two guards and three frontcourt players with the top score in each conference. Fan voting will serve as the tie breaker for a player in case of a position group with the same score. The fan voting updates will be shared on Thursday, 4th Feb and Thursday Feb 11. This season’s NBA All Star starters will be revealed on Thursday, Feb. 18th during the TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax.

According to a press release sent by the NBA, one of the world's biggest sports goods retailers, Decathlon and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have announced a new multi-year merchandise partnership, making Decathlon an official license holder in India, Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America of the NBA. This would also be Decathlon’s first partnership with a North American sports league. The collaboration will constitute a dedicated range of NBA team and league - branded base layers, accessories and footwear designed by the Decathlon and sold under "TARMAK", their own basketball brand. "Since the creations of TARMAK four years ago, it has been our dream to collaborate with the NBA, the greatest basketball league in the world," said TARMAK leader Damien Dezitter. "We have a common objective to develop basketball all over the world, so it's natural to work together to make this possible." "We are excited to partner with Decathlon, a leader in sporting goods retail with a global footprint" said NBA EME Director, Global Partnerships Steve Griffiths. "Through this partnership, NBA fans and basketball players around the world will have access to an exciting and innovative range of merchandise to help them get in the game." The range will be sold exclusively in over 1,200 Decathlon stores all over the world including all outlets in India. It will also be available online on Decathlon.com with the pre-orders for products commencing in March 2021 before the April 2021 launch in stores.

In a press release sent by the NBA, the National Basketball Association and Prasar Bharati (India's public service broadcaster) have announced today about their new partnership that will have Doordarshan (DD) Sports and it's youtube channel Prasar Bharti Sports broadcast classic NBA content along with documentaries, games highlights and public service announcements. The collaboration will feature daily content offerings consisting of Hardwood classics, NBA championship videos, marquee matchups, NBA TV specials and public service announcements. "We are pleased to partner with Prasar Bharti to offer classic NBA programming and highlights," said Sunny Malik, Head of Global Content and Media Distribution, NBA India. "Prasar Bharti shares our vision of growing the NBA's fanbase in India and providing a wide range of content to our fans nationwide.” Fans in India can catch up with the NBA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and download the official NBA app on iOS and Android for daily news and updates. Tags - NBA, India, Basketball, DD sports, Doordarshan, Prasar Bharti

The Chesapeake Energy Arena witnessed a record that hadn’t been broken since the 1985-86 season when the Lakers won their 7th successive game on the road. The reigning champions looked dominant throughout in what can only be described as a complete performance. The 36 year old Lebron James stood out from the pack with 26 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds, despite the fact that he was almost a decade older than most Thunder players, showing his quality with five out of eight successful attempts behind the arc. Anthony Davis got 18 points and 7 rebounds and has been leading the charge for the Lakers from Houston to Oklahoma. Montrezl Harrell also dropped a defensive masterclass with 21 points and 6 rebounds in a space of 25 minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up a spirited display for the Oklahoma City Thunder with 17 points, but couldn't influence the result that seemed destined for a Lakers win. The Los Angeles side will be facing the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center hoping to carry on their form and momentum to extend their winning streak to five.

The Brooklyn Nets in the absence of their key players Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant managed to upset the NBA Table toppers Philadelphia 76ers with 122-109 on Thursday. The Nets played in their good ol' retro blue tie dye jerseys from the 90-91 season and dominated most of the second half with a double digit lead, ensuring their second consecutive win without Durant. LeVert added 22 points out of which 10 were assisted and 7 were rebounds while Jarret Allen added 15 points and 11 boards for the Nets. Irving was ruled out on Thursday citing personal reasons. The Nets then announced that Irving won't be traveling with the team to Memphis later that night. Durant missed out on the second consecutive game due to the NBA's strict health and safety protocols. However, Coach Steve Nash said that if Durant continues to test negative for the coronavirus, he would be able to return by Sunday. The 76ers were in high spirits with their clinical 141-136 victory over Washington on Wednesday but couldn't carry on their form as they ran into trouble with 20-8. However, they managed to come back with a lead early in the second quarter. Nevertheless, the Nets quickly bounced back and went up by 16 before taking a 65-51 lead in the half-time and were in a commanding position thereafter.