--- title: Satnam Singh Bhamara Becomes the First Indian to Make It to the NBA description: The big man from a small village in Punjab was the 52nd draft pick, selected by the Dallas Mavericks canonical: https://time.com/3937110/satnam-singh-bhamara-nba-draft-dallas-mavericks-indian-first/ author: Rishi Iyengar article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-26T07:27:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:41:18.844Z article:section: Sports og:title: Meet Satnam Singh, the First Indian Player in the NBA og:description: The big man from a small village in Punjab was the 52nd draft pick. og:url: https://time.com/3937110/satnam-singh-bhamara-nba-draft-dallas-mavericks-indian-first/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Meet Satnam Singh, the First Indian Player in the NBA twitter:description: The big man from a small village in Punjab was the 52nd draft pick. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Satnam Singh Just Became the First Indian to Make It to the NBA > Sponsored content. 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He also just became the first-ever basketball player from India to be drafted into the NBA, when the Dallas Mavericks announced Thursday night that they selected him with their 52nd pick. Meet Satnam Singh Bhamara. > [](https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/614283693557972992) Born in a small village in Punjab that has a population of around 700, Singh was noticed while playing at local clubs and [moved to the U.S. in 2010](http://www.sbnation.com/2015/6/24/8839977/satnam-singh-bhamara-2015-nba-draft-india) to train at the IMG Academy in Florida. Given his young age, towering presence and shooting ability (as this video from [DraftExpress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO19TMV6tR0) shows), Singh is a player the Mavs will undoubtedly be looking to develop over the next few years. He will reportedly suit up for the team’s Development League affiliate, the Texas Legends. > [](https://twitter.com/TexasLegends/status/614285014805692416) > [](https://twitter.com/TexasLegends/status/614285056471732225) Singh joins Canada’s [Sim Bhullar](http://espn.go.com/nba/story/%5F/id/12642853/sim-bhullar-sacramento-kings-becomes-first-player-indian-descent-nba-game), who became the first player of Indian ethnicity in the NBA when he took to the court for the Sacramento Kings earlier this year, in boosting the increasing popularity of basketball in India. And Mavericks owner Mark Cuban knows it. > [](https://twitter.com/DwainPrice/status/614290975670689792) “I’m over the moon,” [Singh said](http://sports.ndtv.com/nba/news/244449-satnam-singh-becomes-first-indian-to-be-drafted-in-nba-will-play-for-dallas-mavericks) to Indian news channel NDTV after the draft. “I hope this opens new avenues for many more Indian basketball players in the future.” ### The 13 Richest NBA Team Owners  Paul Allen Portland Trail Blazers Worth: 15.8 Billion Forbes Ranking: 26 Garrett Ellwood—NBA/Getty Images  Richard DeVos Orlando Magic Worth: 6.8 Billion Forbes Ranking; 60 Reinhold Matay—AP  Micky Arison Miami Heat Worth: 5.9 Billion Forbes Ranking: 70 Mike Ehrmann—Getty Images  Stan Kroenke Denver Nuggets Worth: 5.3 Billion Forbes Ranking: 84 Doug Pensinger—Getty Images  Dan Gilbert Cleveland Caveliers Worth: 3.9 Billion Forbes Ranking: 118 Mark Duncan—AP  Tom Gores Detroit Pistons Worth: 2.7 Billion Forbes Ranking: 201 Gregory Shamus—Getty Images  Mark Cuban Dallas Mavericks Worth: 2.5 Billion Forbes Ranking: 222 Jesse D. Garrabrant—NBA/Getty Images  Josh Harris Philidelphia 76ers Worth: 2.5 Billion Forbes Ranking: 222 Drew Hallowell—Getty Images  Robert Pera Memphis Grizzlies Worth: 1.95 Billion Forbes Ranking: 293 Lance Murphey—AP  Herb Simon Indiana Pacers Worth: 1.95 Billion Forbes Ranking: 293 Michael Hickey—Getty Images  Glen Taylor Minnesota Timberwolves Worth: 1.7 Billion Forbes Ranking: 327 Ann Heisenfelt—AP  James Dolan New York Knicks Worth: 1.5 Billion James Devaney—WireImage/Getty Images  Tom Benson New Orleans Pelicans Worth: 1.3 Billion Forbes Ranking: 386 Stacy Revere—Getty Images _Read next:_ [_Netflix Is Launching In This Massive New Market_](http://time.com/3936216/netflix-india-internet/?iid=time%5Freadnext) [_Download TIME’s mobile app for iOS to have your world explained wherever you go_](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/time-mobile/id328218429) ## Transcript >> Hi. I'm Sean Gregory from TIME. com and TIME Magazine. And we are here with Earvin " Magic" Johnson for the TIME Magazine 10 Questions feature. Magic has a new book out, " 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business ." And Earvin Magic, thank you for joining us. >> Well, thank you for having me. >> As a child of GM workers, as am I, what is your position on the government bailout for the Big Three? >> Well, I think that I want to see the government help the automotive industry, no question about it. But it has to be a solid plan and strategy. Not here's some money and put a-- Band- Aids on a big major problem because it won't work that way. >> The Big Three, if they get government money, should the executives-- do you believe, be [ unk ] in their compensation, should be caps to executive compensation? >> Oh, no question about it. I would say that if-- in three years, you do something special to turn a company around, to grow the bottom line, to make sure that the company is successful, now, I can understand abundance because you deserve one, but not just because you're the CEO. 'Cause that's what got us in this trouble that we're in now. >> Mr. Johnson, are you going to the Barack Obama inauguration? If so, can my son and I come along with you? And if you're not going, can we have your inaugural tickets? >> Well, my wife and I will definitely be there. It's such a big historical day and moment. The problem is, everybody now wants to be there. So, you know, you're jacking for position. So, good luck. I hope you-- I hope you get two tickets. >> What was your main motivation for supporting Hillary Clinton over Obama in the primary? And if you had to change that, would you change that? >> No. No, I wouldn't change it. Hillary is a-- first of all, a great friend. I promised and told Hillary that if she ever ran for president, I will support her. I'm a very loyal guy. I did what I though was right. And then, after she lost, I did again work for Obama. So, I'm good. I'm always good with my decisions. I'm not a person who ever goes back. >> From Ferdinand Parin in Manila, Philippines, " how was it that you're still alive ?" >> Good question. Well, taking my medicines, working out every day, having a positive attitude. Never thought that I wouldn't be here. Early detection also caught it early on. And we jumped on the medicine right away. And that made sure the viral load did not really get into my bloodstream like-- and so, I think that that's why we're always encouraging young people to go get tests. Go get tested. Go get tested. And not just that, go back for your results. Because we're getting millions of people who go get tested, but they won't go back for their results. So, because the earlier you find out anything, it's not just HIV and AIDS-- whether it's cancer, whatever it is, those doctors can jump on it right away and help save your life. And that's what happened with me. >> This is a great question from Canada. " If all the current NBA players could issue IPOs, which one would you invest in? What would be the first guy you invest in ?" >> Wow. Probably LeBron James. >> Explain why. >> Well, you know, he's very, very successful. Off the court, LeBron is performing probably better than anybody. So, I'm definitely gonna go with the number one brand because I have the number one brand in Urban America. And he has the number one brand in basketball. So, you gotta go with that. >> Gotcha. Comparing the present day with your time, what in your opinion has changed for the better in basketball in the NBA, and what has gotten worse? >> Well, I think for the better is that the players are so much faster. They can jump so much higher. We look at what's happening in some of those smaller cities. That's been really important. Now, you have more balance among the teams in the NBA. The thing that's really bad is-- only thing it's-- and I wouldn't say bad, but it is bad-- is that the players are not marketing the game like they should. And it's really important that they go out and market the game. Not just when they're playing, but also to the boys and girls club. So, the cities that they play in, they gotta get out into the community. We used to get out everywhere. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Dr. J ., Isaiah Thomas, all of us. We got out into the community. What did that do? That made fans now loyal to our team, whether we won or we lost. And that's what's important. >> What do you think is your greatest achievement? >> Putting over 40, 000 minorities to work when I was down. Bringing back Harlem in South Central. Those communities have been down, and now, they're driving based on the businesses that are brought to those communities. >> Guess, why is that more satisfying than, say, winning as many NBA Championships as you want. >> 'Cause there will always be great players. There will always be players winning championship. But there won't be people who can make a difference in somebody else's life. And I think that that's the thing that drives me. I want my legacy to be more about that than basket. >> What was the best one- on- one game you've ever had? >> Wow. It's always on the playground, you know. You-- those were legendary back in the day. And we didn't have a uniform on. It was just shirts and skins. And you just went at it all day in the 90- degree heat and humidity that was so high, and that when you get home, you just start scraping off the tar that was on your face. It was just-- 'cause you have been out there for ten hours, eight hours, you know. Those were the greatest moments that I had, you know, because it wasn't about money, it wasn't about fame. It was just your love and passion that you have for the game, and that you always go back to that because that keeps you humble. That was your early beginnings. That's what made you Magic. Those were guys that nobody will ever know, you know. 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