If you love basketball and hope to see a desi player in the NBA, you might want to pay attention to the twin towers of Western Pennsylvania, also known as Sim and Tanveer Bhullar. Sim, 17, is 7-foot-4. His brother, 15, is the short one: only 7-foot-2.
The Indo-Canadian brothers, who play for Kiski School in Saltsburg, Pa., are not just tall, but also talented.
Sim, who just completed his sophomore season, averaged about 16 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks. He has three-point range and is a strong passer, but he also can run the floor and finish strong with power dunks.
“You just don’t find big guys that agile,” Kiski School head coach Daryn Freedman said. “There’s nothing like him in the country right now.”
Tanveer averaged about 12 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks during his freshman season. He possesses a smooth 15- to 17-foot jumper and has quick feet and soft hands, key attributes to low-post success.
They both have improved immensely at Kiski School under Freedman, a longtime college and NBA assistant who arrived at the school about a month before the Bhullars did. They have since remade their bodies, regularly working out at 5 a.m. with the Kiski wrestling coach. [Link]
Working out at 5 a.m.? These guys are serious about their basketball. Sim already has a scholarship offer from West Virginia and Duke may come calling soon. The brothers are likely to be solid college players, but will they someday be dunking over LeBron James?
The NBA had players from 36 countries and territories this season, but none from India.
The brothers already have a following. When they visited the Golden Temple, a Sikh spiritual and cultural center, last summer, about 100 people crowded them.
“If I was able to make the NBA,” Sim said, “that would be something big for India.” [Link]
I can just picture the TV announcer: “Let’s take a break from cricket news to bring you a report from the NBA. Sim Bhullar scored 12 points and had 15 rebounds last night, while Tanveer scored 16 points and had 6 rebounds. Back to cricket news … Sachin Tendulkar had dal makhani for lunch today. No word yet on what he plans to have for supper.”
Believe in the Bhullars! These kids have the potential—great fade away shots and their fundamentals look good. I have to admit they don’t dunk that well or take it the rim like the “greats” but let’s not forget their ages- 15 & 17…there’s enough time to develop those skills. I can see them being future NBA centers (got Shaq?) plus its good too see that they are not scrawny like some tall men, here’s hoping that I get wear a Bhullar “Mavs” jersey one day!
An Indian on the Golden State Warriors (San Francisco Bay Area) is a marketing dream.
I hope Waheguru give these brothers good health. I hope to see atlesat one of them on either golden state or sacramento kings. WOW can you imagine two SIKH kids domination NBA. WOW>…..Billions of Indians Going crazy every night when these brothers step foot on hardware. Forget isrealis and casspi,,,China and Yao Ming. THESE bhullar madness is going to be somethin unique, different. Watch the Nba Draft day when these brothers get drafted…. New York will be packed, jammed shut by INDIANS. All the good wishes of all SIKHS and Indians are with you.. Make PUNJAB proud..
I wanted to email in a tip about this article earlier in the day but that thought got lost ..
anyhow, having seen them a bit at a camp, the kids have a very high ceiling .. fundamentally sound and technical .. Tanveer might just be a top 10-25 recruit come 2013 and still has some room to grow.. Expect even more attention in the coming year as the 2012 recruiting heats up …
I can only hope that Rutgers offers soon and that Iselin/Edison being only a 15 min drive, sweetens the deal 😉 wishful thinking but ahh well hah
REPRESENT!
Awesome! heres a clip of them playing together
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Y04AMkvdg&NR=1&feature=fvwp
This blog could use a humorist.
I dont see it. The NBA is more than ever a speed game and being big isnt enough. Yao Ming has made it, but he has amazing offensive talent for a man his size, but because he is so big, he is injured all the time. You just dont see guys this slow in the NBA anymore. However, they could have good college careers.
However they are still young and could grow into their bodies and gain some speed.
abhi, there were rumors about sarah palin too. i think this sort of accusation probably stings more for women, and women who are relatively youthful are probably particular vulnerable to this charge. “caesar’s wife must be above reproach.”
don’t you think 7+ footers can always find a spot as a role player? though perhaps you’re right that the athleticism bar is higher than in the days of mark eaton.
That’s what I keep telling Abhi. Are you available by any chance? We’ve been impressed with your humorous comments. They put Manju to shame.
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blockquote>That’s what I keep telling Abhi. Are you available by any chance? We’ve been impressed with your humorous comments. They put Manju to shame.
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blockquote>
I am always available, if you know what I mean, and I mean fucking. (have I reached your level yet, or should I keep digging?)
PS. Manju does not need to be ashamed, and neither do you, do not let my cruelty push you into denial, please keep amusing us in your inadvertent fashion.
PPS I realized I do not know who Manju is, but don’t worry, I will not heckle you again because of how crushing this comparison is.
PPPS Oh look, I have made too many blockquotes. Maybe that will get fixed. I hope I am not laughed at. =(
are they slow??? seems like they can just take two steps and they reach the other end of the court.
Their shooting skills are pretty good and they seem to dominate without breaking a sweat. This is more of the Magic-Larry style than the Jordan-LeBron style. Looks like the Bhullars have plenty of reserves left. By the time they hit the Draft the stars of today will be twirling walking canes. There’s a lot of time to learn ball skills etc. Sunil Panda, Pradeep Shrivastava and his daughter Gitika Shrivastava would be very happy to see the Bhullars get drafted!
Pradeep Srivastava works for Tata Steel in Jamshedpur and was a standout hoopster in his time, making an awesome combo with Sunil Panda. But business and family commitments prevailed. His daughter Gitika too was a star hoopster in HS but left for the world of business much earlier. After a Harvard+MIT combo she founded a tech company and lives now in the Beantown area. Tata Steel at one time had possibly the tallest starting line-up anywhere in the world with as many as five 7’+ hoopmen. Jamshedpur is a best place to meet sporting and adventure legends. You can buttonhole Sunil Panda at 0600 hrs during his daily walk at Jubilee Park, meet a few archers, weightlifters and body builders at noon, and meet Bachendri Pal over tea at the United Club.
Wish these kids the best of luck but they really have some work to put in, as they are lacking considerably in athleticism. It’s a shame Pasha Bains, the best Indian- baller that I’ve ever seen, didn’t work out at stateside at Clemson…at least he was athletic.