The family of Sim Bhullar, the first man of Indian-descent to sign with the NBA, is beaming with pride after the seven-foot-five-inch tall Indo-Canadian baller signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings last week.
Bhullar has yet to set foot on the court, but his friends and family are hoping he’ll get his chance Sunday night during his second game, when the Kings take on the Utah Jazz in California.
Bhullar’s father, Avtar, told CTV Toronto his son was originally a hockey player but switched to basketball in the fourth grade. Soon the young Bhullar said he wanted to be in the NBA.
“We had a net at home, so sometimes when I (came) back from work, (we’d) play at home,” Avtar Bhullar said.
Bhullar was still in high school when he surpassed his father’s 6’4 stature. Height runs in the family apparently: Bhullar’s great-grandfather was roughly seven feet tall.
Family friend Parminder Singh, who previously worked as a Punjabi-language announcer of Toronto Raptors games, says the local Punjabi and Sikh communities are immensely proud of Bhullar.
He said Bhullar could help attract NBA fans from Indian communities the same way retired Chinese basketball player Yao Ming did with Chinese communities.
“Growing up we tried to emulate Michael Jordan,” Singh said. “But now as the diversity of Canada is expanding, kids can watch television and see a player from (a) similar descent to them.”
He added: “It’s something I think the whole neighbourhood is rejoicing in.”
