Dreaming Of The Hoop

In a nation obsessed with cricket, NBA is changing not just the perception aroundbasketball, but also the lives of budding players.

- Mehul Reuben Das

“Please get off the court, if your shoes are not clean,” announced a voice, as we entered the main arena of the NBA Academy in Greater Noida. For Jacques Vandescure, the Technical Director and the Head Coach, his players and his court are everything. This is evident from his interactions with his players, the students of the academy. Paying close attention to every aspect of each student, he has a hands-on approach towards coaching. Running up and down the two league-sized courts on any given day, one can find Jacques pushing his players, making them work hard, and getting one step closer to their dream of playing in the NBA.

Since 2008, NBA India has been working at the grassroot, trying to take basketball to the next level in India. It is no less than a pleasant surprise to see talented athletes such as Satnam Singh inducted by teams such as the Dallas Mavericks. For Yannick Colaco, however, this is not surprising at all. The man heading NBA India says, “We have seen tremendous response, both in terms of the people’s interest in the game and talent of young players.” He adds, “Our Reliance Foundation Junior NBA program has been able to get basketball into school curriculum, teach young kids to have fun while playing the game, and inspire them to seriously consider the sport. Since its inception in 2013, the programme has trained over 9,000 PE teachers and reached more than 75 lakh students in over 35 cities.”