At 15, Satnam singh stands tall

Fifteen year old Satnam Singh Bhamara is living a dream after having secured a place in the national basketball team. The much hyped Satnam, who stands seven feet tall and weighs 110 kilos, is the new kid on the block.

Satnam’s life has not been a bed of roses. Hailing from an obscure village Ballo Ke in Barnala district of Punjab, he wants to achieve glory. Game is all about inspiration and perspiration and Satnam is an ardent believer of this theory. He has found inspiration in his father Balbir Singh Bhamara.

“My father always wanted to see me as a basketball player. Despite being passionate about the game, he was denied the opportunity by my grandfather, who asked him to concentrate on agriculture rather than playing. Hence, he inspired me to play basketball when he and one of his friends saw me playing in the village field. My father told me to work hard in basketball court instead of the fields. Then he sent me to Ludhiana where I got better opportunities to play basketball,” he reminisces.

Satnam’s village was sans basketball courts and cable network which proved a hindrance in his way to pursue the game. However, his father ensured that he could train well by sending him to Ludhiana Basketball Academy.

The player who has a well-built physique with broad shoulders says, “I was very passionate about the game. I developed a serious interest in the game five to six years back. My height grew rapidly at the Ludhiana Academy. The coaches at the academy groomed me as a basketball player. My height is a bonus but the game also requires intelligence, streetsmartness, speed and technical adjustment.”

In India, cricket is a religion, hence getting support for a basketball player is not easy. “I am passionate about the game. With the kind of support I have got, I feel lucky. Dr Subramaniam, RS Gill, DGP, Punjab Police Academy, Harish Sharma Secretary General, Basketball Federation of India have helped me immensely,” he adds.

Asked him whether basketball is a hobby or a career for him, he says, “There is nothing in my life beyond basketball. Basketball court is my life.”

Satnam and seven others went to Florida, USA with the help of IMG Academy in September 2010 where they were imparted professional training. Satnam has contract with them for five years where he will improve his skill as well as continue his studies. “In fact, the training at Florida’s IMG Academy evolved me as a player. In the US, I worked on enhancing my fitness levels, skills and body positioning. I am continuing my studies. Right now. I am in class XI. I practice regularly during the afternoons,’’ he says.

Quiz him about his fans and the feeling of being recognised at such a young age, he says, “It feels good. It inspires me to do well.”

His basketball skills are raw, but his hand-eye coordination is good. He moves fast in the court. He is playful and fun-loving. He is comfortable with the ball. His size intimidates opposition. All these factors have been instrumental for him getting a berth in Punjab team for the National Youth championship, an opportunity to play in FIBA-sponsored Asian U16 Championship in Malaysia and the NBA Mahindra Challenge, which is where Troy Justice of the NBA first met him.

He was also invited to the NBA's Basketball without Borders Asia camp, where everyone tipped him to be the next big thing in Indian basketball.

“At times I follow NBA”, he says. NBA has been a distant dream for an Indian player but Satnam is hopeful about his chances. “That’s my dream. I want to play NBA. Before that, I need to improve my skills. I have to work more on footwork and speed. I want to make Punjab’s and India proud,” says the player who idolises Kobe Bryant.