“I have never seen him happier,” said Luke Walton, Sacramento Kings head coach, of Vivek Ranadive, Mumbai-born owner of the NBA team. The whole unit, in Mumbai for two pre-season games against Indiana Pacers, had been asked to “go out, meet people and try to embrace a new culture.”
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The pushy Kings owner is more specific about the reason for NBA India Games 2019 happening in Mumbai, with two pre-season games live for the first time in India. “This is as much about India being introduced to NBA as the NBA being introduced to India,” he said. “Basketball and India are meant to be together, there is no city in the world that represents the sport more than Mumbai.”
Mumbai’s NSCI indoor stadium has been transformed into an NBA-style basketball arena. Mr. Ranadive attempts to explain the connect between his hometown and the American league. “This city has excitement, music, spice, fashion and Bollywood. It is a spectacle, like basketball. Indians love to celebrate, love a spectacle, great food, music and dance. Pro basketball is all this, and I fully expect the sport to become popular here.”
He also believes basketball will be the second most popular sport here. “Cricket is the national pastime and in the land of (Sachin) Tendulkar and (Mansur Ali Khan) Pataudi, it will be hard to take that place.” The Kings versus Pacers face-off is expected to set the tone for more games and NBA promotions.
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“I hope this is the first step in a long journey,” Mr. Ranadive said. “I expect these games will continue and in the next 10 years, we will have multiple players coming out of the Indian (basketball) system, going all the way to the NBA.” On the choice of Mumbai for a basketball game, he said, “I am super excited. I am a Mumbaikar and back in my hometown, the city where I was born and the land of my forefathers. To have a real pre-season game for my Kings is one of the most exciting days of my life.”
His passion for basketball was noticed by fellow owner Herbert Simon (Indiana Pacers) and the NBA top brass from 2010, when he became the co-owner of the Golden State Warriors and 2013, when he became the first Indian team owner. “Simon said to me about taking the Kings with me when I go to India next. Adam (Silver) also promised to travel after he became the (NBA) commissioner. He, David Stern (former NBA commissioner) and Mark Tatum (current deputy commissioner), delivered every promise. A few years later, here we are.”
The Kings owner did his bit to prepare his players mentally for the India experience. “We have been reaching out to India since the very first day I bought the Kings. We actually have a club form which says ‘Raja’ (Hindi word for King) on it, also a Hindi website,” said Mr. Ranadive. “When we came here, I did a video for them to share the rich history and culture of our great country. I fully expect people will continue to embrace India.”