ACG-NBA Jump Program announced, providing a pathway to the NBA for Indian Prospects
- Satnam Singh to Launch ACG-NBA Jump in Delhi on Oct. 26 -
- Top Player from the Program will Attend the NBA Development League National Tryout in the United States -
- Program open to players born between January 1 -1994 and 31 May 1998 i.e. who are 18 to 21 years of age -
- Contest to be held in 6 cities all across India -
MUMBAI, Oct. 21, 2015 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the ACG Worldwide Group (ACG) announced yesterday the launch of ACG-NBA Jump, India’s first national basketball talent search program. As part of the NBA and ACG’s commitment to grow basketball in India, the first-of-its-kind program will provide basketball players from around the country the opportunity to develop their skills. One top player from the ACG-NBA Jump program will receive the opportunity to attend the NBA Development League (NBA D-League) National Tryout in the United States. Satnam Singh, the first Indian-born player to be drafted into the NBA, will tip off the program at the Thyagraj Sports Complex in Delhi on Oct. 26. The contest is open to players born between January 1 -1994 and 31 May 1998. “We strongly believe in the potential of India’s youth and believe in empowering them through sport,” said ACG Director Karan Singh. “ACG-NBA Jump is an equal opportunity program for many who are talented but may not have the access. This program is part of ACG Cares Foundation, and we are sure that with more programs like this, India’s basketball teams will have a richer talent pool to choose from. With the help of such programs, we are confident that India’s performance on international platforms such as the Olympics and Asian Games will improve. This initiative will also facilitate penetration of an active sport like basketball in far-flung regions of India and encourage the youth to take up basketball as a serious sporting option.” “ACG-NBA Jump is the next step in our continued commitment to grow the game of basketball in India,” said NBA India Managing Director Yannick Colaco. “With Sim Bhullar becoming the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA and Satnam Singh becoming the first Indian-born player to be drafted into the NBA, basketball playing youth in India now have relatable figures to look up to, and this program will give them the opportunity of a direct path to the professional ranks.”
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 25: Satnam Singh Bhamara poses for a portrait after being drafted in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks at the Barclays Center on June 25, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. ACG-NBA Jump will be broken up into three phases. In the first phase, six regional, one-day elite camps will be held in six cities: Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The second phase will consist of a national elite training camp where 32 players selected from the six regional camps will assemble for a four-day training period. In the third and final phase, one top player from the national elite training camp will be selected to attend the NBA D-League National Tryout in the United States for the opportunity to earn a spot on an NBA D-League roster. The selected player will continue to undergo training up until the tryout in June 2016. The schedule for the six camps are provided at http://www.acgnbajump.com. Since the camps are to be held only in six cities, ballers from neighbouring regions are expected to travel to their closest city to attend the camp and showcase their talent. Sony SIX, the official broadcaster of the program, will create a feature around ACG-NBA Jump, following the program through its various stages and tracking the winner up until his NBA D-league tryout.
The NBA D-League is the NBA’s official minor league, serving to develop players, coaches, and front office executives. Entering its 15th season, the NBA D-League features 19 teams in the U.S. and Canada, each of which is singly-affiliated with an NBA parent club. An all-time high 38% of players on 2014-15 NBA end-of-season rosters had NBA D-League experience. Visit www.acgnbajump.com to learn more about the program. Fans can follow the NBA on Facebook (facebook.com/NBAIndia) and on Twitter (@NBAIndia) and download the NBA App for the latest news, updates, scores, stats, schedules, videos and more. About the NBA: The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. The league has established a major international presence with offices in 13 markets worldwide, games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and NBA Mobile, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media, with more than 875 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes. About the NBA Development League: The NBA Development League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 19 teams with direct affiliations with NBA franchises for the 2015-16 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time high 38 percent of all NBA players at the end of the 2014-15 season boasted NBA D-League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA D-League games on nbadleague.com.