Why India has nothing to do with Satnam Singh's NBA achievement

When Satnam Singh Bhamara became the first Indian to be drafted by an NBA team, it was a proud moment for India. However — if one sees the facilities where he took his first steps in the sport, one would feel anything but pride. In fact, there is no reason for India to take credit for where he is today. Before he started training in the US (2011), Satnam was at the Ludhiana Basketball Academy (LBA) in Punjab — and judging by the pictures in this Hindustan Times report, it seems to be a place reeking of carelessness, stinking of garbage and screaming for repair. So much so that players have to walk to fetch drinking water (because the cooler doesn’t work), have to use toilets most of which are without doors and bathe in tubs filled with water supplied to the urinals. [caption id=“attachment_2313814” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Satnam Singh in a picture from a photo-shoot. Twitter[/caption] The report says that the coolers in the room don’t work, there is no cleaning staff appointed and some weights and a couple of exercise stations make up for a ‘gym’. It’s quite shocking — is this the academy that has produced 40 international players, and currently houses 30 national basketball medallists? The question needs to be asked: if Satnam had not been picked by IMG-Reliance to train in America, would he have made it to the NBA – or would he have been just another tall guy whose biggest achievement would be to play in India. Food is also an issue — the Punjab sports department (PBA), under which the LBA comes, provides daily diet worth Rs 200 only from July to March. For the rest of the months, they need to raise funds for providing food. “With our resources and by using contacts we collect Rs 3-4 lakh annually to bridge the gap,” secretary-general of the PBA Teja Singh is quoted as saying in the report. Contrast this with the resources Satnam had in America — his training video shows him at high-class courts and gyms — also on green fields working on his agility. It’s hard to believe how the LBA still manages to churn out India-level players at an admirable rate (around 40 internationals). But if the nation wants to send players to the best league - the NBA - then these conditions are downright unacceptable. It’s safe to say that India has basically contributed very little to Satnam’s career apart from a chance in the national team – to be seen and spotted. The director-sports of Punjab Tejinder Singh Dhaliwal says that he knows about the bad conditions. He calls them ’not up to the mark’. That’s an incredible euphemism. The conditions are in fact pathetic. Dhaliwal says that changes will soon be made but one can’t help but wonder what was stopping him so far. The only positive is the training facilities: The HT report reads: “The indoor hall has wooden flooring, and besides the coach employed there, a retired Sports Authority of India coach and a former player help out on a voluntary basis.” Satnam’s achievements are commendable yes — and we should support him as he starts on a hopefully long NBA journey with the Dallas Mavericks. But make no mistake – if Satnam had continued to be in India, the best he would have received would be a government job. And that is no matter of pride. Click here to read the full Hindustan Times report.