Sim Bhullar has become the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA team as he inked a deal with Sac... Read More

NEW DELHI: In what could cheer basketball fans back home, Sim Bhullar has become the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA team as he inked a deal with Sacramento Kings , it was announced on Friday.

As per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Born in Toronto, the 7-foot-5, 360-pound centre was a member of the Kings squad that captured the 2014 Samsung NBA Summer League title in Las Vegas.

"I've long believed that India is the next great frontier for the NBA, and adding a talented player like Sim only underscores the exponential growth basketball has experienced in that nation," Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said in a statement issued by the NBA.

"While Sim is the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA franchise, he represents one of many that will emerge from that region as the game continues to garner more attention and generate ever-increasing passion among a new generation of Indian fans."

In his two seasons at New Mexico State, Bhullar averaged 10.2 points (.633 FG%, .496 FT%), 7.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 2.9 blocks and 25.3 minutes per game in 65 career games.

Bhullar was a two-time Western Athletic Conference Tournament MVP, helping the school reach the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2014.

As a freshman, he was named WAC Freshman of the Year after accruing averages of 10.1 points (.621 FG%, .465 FT%), 6.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 2.4 blocks and 24.4 minutes per game for the Aggies.

He set a single-season school record for most blocked shots with 85 and his .621 field goal percentage ranked fourth on the NMSU single-season list and first in the WAC in 2012-13.