CLEVELAND — The NBA All-Star Weekend had a large international presence. One local fan who attended Sunday’s game was excited to see India be a part of the celebration.
What You Need To Know
- The NBA announced the All-Star Game was broadcast in 215 countries
- The league said several international brand ambassadors represented their fan bases in Cleveland and on social media
- Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh represented India during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
Rohan Patil said he loves the game of basketball so much that he became a coach for a youth team.
“I’m not good enough to play with adults, like if you play adult rec, it’s too serious. It’s like, it’s not that much fun. But with kids, you know, I can — I’m the big kid there,” Patil said while he dribbled a basketball at practice.
When Patil is not coaching, he’s teaching a children’s class about Indian culture and heritage.
“We try to, you know, maybe show some music, food, [and] different kind of unique animals from that region,” Patil said.
Patil got to combine both of his passions at NBA All-Star Weekend.
“I remember, I saw the post where it listed the celebrity roster and I was looking at it and I was like, ‘Ranveer Singh?’” Patil said.
Singh is a popular Indian actor whom the league announced would headline a group of international influencers who would attend and promote events during the weekend. On Friday, Singh became the second Bollywood star to play in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
Patil said Singh’s presence during the weekend could increase the popularity of basketball in India.
“You know, if they become basketball fans, that’s a huge, you know, conversation. Whereas right now, they’re not,” Patil said. “So I mean, [Indians are] kind of into basketball, but it’s more kind of other sports, too. So, to see if Ranveer Singh being at this game can help, you know, create more interest in basketball in India that would be incredible.”
Patil said he thinks India could be a profitable market for the NBA to explore.
“If they can just get basketball hoops, they can play it, you know, in very small areas — in these kind of narrow, sideways, narrow gullies. And, you know, they can easily play with their friends, family members.” Said Patil. “You know, there’s good, warm weather, pretty much, you know, all year round. And if only, even if only 10% of people in India end up liking it, that’s still 100 million people. So, I think for those reasons, I’m excited at the possibilities of how the game can grow in India.”
As he prepared to watch the league’s best athletes play at the All-Star Game on Sunday, Patil said he would love to see a player from India on the court one day.
“Hopefully, this is the start of, you know, the next century can be, ‘India’s in basketball’, you know,” Patil said. “Maybe we can get our own version of Jeremy Lin in the future.”
