Sometimes, it feels like a dream: Indian basketball star Princepal Singh

Young basketball player Princepal Singh, the second Indian to debut in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Summer League, says that his journey has been nothing short of a dream and that he is working on his fitness and skills to achieve his next goal of playing in NBA.

He is 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. The 20-year-old from Gurdaspur, standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, wants to push his achievements to greater heights.

“After the Summer League, I’ll train in Los Angeles. I am happy with my trajectory. I first played in the G League, now I’m in the Summer League, and next, I’ll play in the NBA. I never thought I would come this far. It feels like a dream. My next goal is the NBA. I just want to play for a long time and stay fit,” Singh said during a virtual press conference.

He has been training in Los Angeles for the Summer League and is working hard on his fitness. “I’ve done a lot of skill training during my individual sessions and worked on my shooting. Playing in the Summer League with players who have been drafted in the NBA has improved my game. My coach has asked me to play hard and focus on rebounds and defense,” Singh added.

Eager to get more game time in the League, Singh said he wants to focus on his rebounds and score some points. “There’s not so much pressure on me. I just hope I get some more time which I haven’t yet got.” Singh was a volleyball player in his village before he starting training at the Ludhiana Basketball Academy, where his coach urged him to pursue the sport.

Asked about the future of basketball in India, Singh said that the 3x3 professional basketball leagues, now recognized by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), could help garner support for the game.

“The NBA India initiative also helped the sport in terms of introducing it to people who didn’t know anything about basketball. The leagues will reassure young players that they can make a living out of the game. Basketball will be like cricket one day,” Singh said.