Sacramento Kings: Team Signs Sim Bhullar to Become First NBA Player of Indian Descent
The Sacramento Kings made history on Friday after signing Sim Bhullar, who became the first NBA player of Indian descent.
The Kings announced the deal on their official website, but terms of the deal were not disclosed. It is widely believed, though, that the 7-foot-5 center signed a non-guaranteed rookie contract.
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, who is known as the first Indian-born NBA majority team owner, expressed excitement over the signing, saying that Bhullar's entry in the league will be big for India.
"I've long believed that India is the next great frontier for the NBA, and adding a talented player like Sim only underscores the exponential growth basketball has experienced in that nation," Ranadive said in a statement.
Ranadive added that the best is yet to come for his native country as the entry of Bhullar in arguably the most famous basketball league in the world will generate more basketball interest in India.
"While Sim is the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA franchise, he represents one of many that will emerge from that region as the game continues to garner more attention and generate ever-increasing passion among a new generation of Indian fans," Ranadive said.
The 21-year-old center, who was born in Canada, went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft. He spent two seasons with New Mexico State where the 360-pound center averaged 10.4 points to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game last season, which were enough for him to bag the Western Athletic Conference tournament MVP award.
Bhullar, who led New Mexico State to two straight NCAA tournament appearances, played for the Kings in the 2014 Las Vegas Summer League, helping the team win the tournament in July.
Bhullar is expected to be strongly considered as backup to star center DeMarcus Cousins and might also spend some time with the Kings NBA Development League affiliate to make himself more NBA-ready.
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