India has made long strides in the NBA in recent years. A cricket-dominated nation has been putting up a show in various sports of Europe and USA-dominated individual and team sports. National Basketball Association, NBA has been the most decorated league for almost a century now is a dream for every basketball player in the world.
Here’s a list of Players of Indian Descent or Indian Players who have been drafted or played in the NBA or the G-League
1. Sim Bhullar – Center – Sacramento Kings, Reno Bighorns
Bhullar, a Canadian Basketball player of Indian descent went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft but got on to Sacramento Kings, G-League Affiliate Reno Bighorns. He made it into the All-Defensive Second Team with the D-League team in 2015. He signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings. On 7th April 2015, he became the 1st player of Indian descent to enter an NBA Game. He scored 2 points on his NBA debut which was a defining moment for Indian Basketball. He was then released the following season.
He last played for Yulon Luxgen Dinos in 2020 and is currently a free agent.
2. Satnam Singh – Center – Dallas Mavericks
Satnam Singh became the 1st player ever to be drafted in the NBA. Singh was drafted by Dallas Mavericks as the 52nd overall pick. The IMG Academy Graduate, Satnam Singh hailed from Punjab. Singh also became the first player since the 2005 draft to enter without playing in college, overseas professionally, or in the NBA Development League. Singh was waived by Dallas Mavericks after the 2015 Summer League but picked up by their G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends.
He averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in the 2015-16 season. He resigned with the Legends the following season but appeared in just 8 games in that season.
He is currently a free agent and last played with St. John's Edge in NBL, Canada
3. Amjyot Singh – Power Forward – OKC Blue, Wisconsin Herd
Amjyot Singh entered the NBA draft in 2014, Singh went undrafted on that night. He wanted to make a comeback in the NBA, so he took a route via Japan. He went Undrafted in 2014 and joined Tokyo Excellence in Japan – which was a 2nd Tier league in Japan.
He made a comeback in the NBA G-League Affiliate OKC Blue for the 2017-18 season where he averaged 2.7 points in 30 games he appeared with the squad. He then joined Wisconsin Herd, a G-League affiliate of Milwaukee Bucks, where he appeared seven games before being released.
Amjyot is currently a Free Agent.
4. Palpreet Singh – Power Forward – Long Island Nets
Palpreet Singh became the second Indian baller to play in G-League (D-League). The Long Island Nets chose the Indian cager as their fourth pick, 77th overall in 2016. After Satnam Singh Played for Texas Legends, Singh was the next one to follow up. However, he did not appear in any of the games.
5. Princepal Singh Bajwa – Power Forward – G-League Ignite
India’s next big Basketball Project, Principal has been making headlines all around the globe. Hailing from Punjab, India he joined the NBA Academy India in 2016 and was then called up at the NBA Global Academy, a training center at the Australian Institute of Sport Centre of Excellence in Canberra, in May 2017. He signed a two-year contract in Australia.
He became the 1st NBA Academy graduate to join a G-League team. However, his time on the court was limited. Singh’s presence in the G League’s bubble doesn’t guarantee he’ll ever move beyond it. He’s not on any of the analysts’ draft boards. But after more than a decade of the NBA developing the sport in India, Singh and some younger prospects have the league closer than ever to busting open a market of 1.3 billion people.
