The wait has been more than painful for Indian basketball’s fans. The aficionados were ecstatic when the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) announced, in June 2010, that it was partnering IMG and Reliance to launch a professional league.
Soon, the dream came crashing down as differences began to crop up among the stakeholders. Now, after 14 years, the newly-elected BFI under the stewardship of its president, Aadhav Arjuna, is expected to launch the professional league soon.
If everything goes according to plan when the bids are opened on June 25, the world will know who will be the organising partner of the national basketball body will be for the professional league, (men & women) to be held in both 3×3 and 5×5 formats, to be heldwill be in six to eight months’ time.
Cautiously optimistic
Indian player Muin Bek is eagerly awaiting the commencement of the league but hopes that BFI follows through. “I am very happy with the initiative. It will be great if the league kicks off as promised by BFI. It will definitely motivate lots of players. Though many players play at the school and college level, they do not pursue a career as there are no real prospects for the sport. And I agree with that. The league will hopefully change everything for the better,” the 28-year-old said.
“Competing with professional foreign players in the league will be a huge learning curve for Indians, Muin opined. “The BFI will get to know what facilities are needed to improve the lot of Indians as compared to foreigners. We can definitely improve our skill sets and our basketball knowledge will get updated,” he said.
When the Tamil Nadu men’s team took part in the West Asian league recently in Doha, Muin said playing alongside two Americans in the State team was refreshing. “We know that the two Americans were not of the first-grade, still they were quite good, and we learnt a lot from them,” he informed.
Twenty-year-old Pranav Prince, who is considered one of the brightest young players in the Indian team, said the league will definitely help the next generation of players in taking up the sport. “Our senior players have sacrificed a lot. While playing for the country, they played for their respective departments like Indian Bank, IOB, Income Tax, Punjab Police among others. They didn’t get the opportunity to play in the USA like some of us did. We must make sure that we use it in the right way so that next generation can also benefit,” he said.
The professional league and especially the 3×3 format, Prince believes, will take the sport to a larger audience.
“3×3 is entertainment and will end in 12-15 minutes. Moreover, it can be held near beaches, at the mall during weekends. With all the commercial aspects, the sport will grow,” said Prince.
One of India’s finest players and former India captain Vishesh Bhriguvanshi is keeping his fingers crossed when asked about the league. “It should start,” he said. “It will enhance our skills and improve our playing style. It is good for Indian players,” he said.
But the man behind the to-be-launched league Aadhav Arjuna, BFI president, is confident that the league will change the face of Indian basketball and is occupied in ensuring that everything falls in place.
In Short
The man behind the soon-to-be-launched professional basketball league, BFI President: Aadhav, is confident that the league will change the face of Indian basketball and is occupied in ensuring that everything falls in place.
“Once the organising partner for the league is finalised (likely on June 25), the league will begin in six to eight months’ time,” said Aadhav.
“Competing with professional foreign players in the league will be a huge learning curve for Indians, Indian basketball player Muin opined. “The BFI will get to know what facilities are needed to improve the lot of Indians as compared to foreigners.”
Bank shot
Aadhav has lots of big plans up his sleeves. The 41-year-old is crystal clear that without grassroots, no sport can develop. “We are firming up our grassroots structure. We have signed up with Manipal University, and will sign an MoU with the Corvuss American Academy in Mumbai soon. According to the MoU, we will select 30 boys and 30 girls in u-13, u-16 and u-18 from the Nationals and groom them in the academies we are setting up across India,” he said.
“Our ambition”, asserted Aadhav, “is to ensure India takes part in 3×3 format at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and be a top 3 team in Asia in four years and am keen to take India in top 3 in Asia in 5×5 format and be in the Olympics in eight years.”
The BFI president expressed confidence on the League. “The tender process for 3×3 and 5×5 is midway, and we are very happy with the support of corporate houses that have participated in the tender process. Once the organising partner (for the professional league called the National Star Basketball League) is finalised (likely on June 25), the league will begin in six to eight months’ time,” said Aadhav.
Aadhav pointed out that the BFI has created a Talent Research Wing (TRW) on the likes of one created by cricket. It will have prominent former players and coaches who will play a crucial role in developing academies and scouting for talent. “TRW has Aman Sharma, SAI coach, will be TRW Chairman, India coach S. Baskar who is with SAI and has been deputed to BFI. We also have Arnika Gujar Patil, a FIBA Instructor, and former India star Ramkumar in TRW,” he said.
BFI is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the Indian National Basketball League (INBL), but Aadhav believes that it will not interfere with the league’s commencement and that they will win the judicial dispute.
According to Aadhav, the league ownership remaining with the BFI will ensure that its sustainability in the long run. “BFI is clear that ownership with us. Cricket’s (IPL) success was because of that. We want it to be sustainable. We want to take small steps, not big steps. We will win all the legal battles,” he said.
Break-even
Knowing pretty well that all not leagues are profitable in India, Aadhav has worked out the details and is hopeful that he will break even. “Very few leagues, including the IPL, are profitable. There are viewers, more contributions but the returns are not that great. We are confident of breaking even,” he said.
To buttress his point that he is a doer, Aadhav has constructed the National Sports Centre on the outskirts of the city (Uthandi, ECR near Chennai). It has wonderful facilities for the Indian teams to hold camps, and allows them to engage in match analysis, recovery, and weight sessions in the gym without any hindrance.
“We have 5×5 and 3×3 courts, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, physio centre, video analytics room, 100m & 200m track and a beach volleyball court,” he said.
Aadhav and his officials are confident that the League will happen as planned. If and when it happens, it will be a red-letter day for Indian basketball.