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Sim Bhullar, NBA's first player of Indian descent, worked hard to defy odds Sim Bhullar, NBA's first player of Indian descent, worked hard to defy odds
(about 9 hours later)
He was an experiment within an experiment and that should have been trouble for Sim Bhullar. At 7ft 5in, 360lbs the man who would become the NBA’s first player of Indian descent towered over his teammates on the Development League’s Reno Bighorns; a colossus with soft hands, sluggish moves and little stamina.He was an experiment within an experiment and that should have been trouble for Sim Bhullar. At 7ft 5in, 360lbs the man who would become the NBA’s first player of Indian descent towered over his teammates on the Development League’s Reno Bighorns; a colossus with soft hands, sluggish moves and little stamina.
He would have been a project on any minor league team, but he seemed an especially ridiculous fit at Reno where the Bighorns parent club the Sacramento Kings, were trying to see if a full-court, fast-paced, frenetic system would work in the NBA. It looked like disaster. How could the raw, humungous, out-of-shape Bhullar possibly fit on a team built on running almost nothing but fast breaks?He would have been a project on any minor league team, but he seemed an especially ridiculous fit at Reno where the Bighorns parent club the Sacramento Kings, were trying to see if a full-court, fast-paced, frenetic system would work in the NBA. It looked like disaster. How could the raw, humungous, out-of-shape Bhullar possibly fit on a team built on running almost nothing but fast breaks?
But somehow the experiment worked well enough that Sacramento signed Bhullar to a 10-day contract on Thursday, making history and leaving Reno coach David Arseneault Jr chuckling into his phone on a team bus ride to Santa Cruz.But somehow the experiment worked well enough that Sacramento signed Bhullar to a 10-day contract on Thursday, making history and leaving Reno coach David Arseneault Jr chuckling into his phone on a team bus ride to Santa Cruz.
“I’m impressed with what he’s been able to do,” Arseneault told the Guardian.“I’m impressed with what he’s been able to do,” Arseneault told the Guardian.
How did Bhullar become an asset on pro basketball’s fastest team? He worked to find a way.How did Bhullar become an asset on pro basketball’s fastest team? He worked to find a way.
Related: 140 points a game – but are the Reno Bighorns a basketball experiment too far?
When Areseneault first met Bhullar at the start of practice he didn’t know what to make of the center who seemed miscast in a locker room of fast, slender players who were happiest sprinting across the court. In explaining his offense to Bhullar, Arseneault said: “I try to get guys to play as hard as they can for as long as they can which is usually about two minutes.”When Areseneault first met Bhullar at the start of practice he didn’t know what to make of the center who seemed miscast in a locker room of fast, slender players who were happiest sprinting across the court. In explaining his offense to Bhullar, Arseneault said: “I try to get guys to play as hard as they can for as long as they can which is usually about two minutes.”
Bhullar looked at Arseneault for a moment and said:Bhullar looked at Arseneault for a moment and said:
“That sounds just about right for me.”“That sounds just about right for me.”
The constant roster changes and bus trips that are a staple of D-League life kept Arseneault from running as rapid a system as he hoped and Bhullar was forced to play segments that were much longer than two minutes. Yet the longer Bhullar stayed in the games, the better he got. The stomach that protruded from beneath his jersey began to shrink. He ate healthy food. He looked quicker. He had more energy. And he became that looming, intimidating presence all coaches hope to have from a player so huge.The constant roster changes and bus trips that are a staple of D-League life kept Arseneault from running as rapid a system as he hoped and Bhullar was forced to play segments that were much longer than two minutes. Yet the longer Bhullar stayed in the games, the better he got. The stomach that protruded from beneath his jersey began to shrink. He ate healthy food. He looked quicker. He had more energy. And he became that looming, intimidating presence all coaches hope to have from a player so huge.
When Reno played a full-court press, Arseneault stationed Bhullar at the end of the court, in front of the basket. Whenever the other team broke through the pressure defense and sprinted up court on a two-on-one break Bhullar stood as the final impediment. Often this is a horrible place to be – one player alone trying to stop two racing full speed. But several players on open breaks froze when they saw Bhullar looming before them. They stopped or they tried to take awkward, lobbing shots over his enormous arms or they passed the ball away killing the break.When Reno played a full-court press, Arseneault stationed Bhullar at the end of the court, in front of the basket. Whenever the other team broke through the pressure defense and sprinted up court on a two-on-one break Bhullar stood as the final impediment. Often this is a horrible place to be – one player alone trying to stop two racing full speed. But several players on open breaks froze when they saw Bhullar looming before them. They stopped or they tried to take awkward, lobbing shots over his enormous arms or they passed the ball away killing the break.
“He changed the game just with his presence, really,” Arseneault said. “He can block shots and alter shots and force players to take floaters and more contested (two-point) shots – which is what we want them to do.”“He changed the game just with his presence, really,” Arseneault said. “He can block shots and alter shots and force players to take floaters and more contested (two-point) shots – which is what we want them to do.”
And as the season went on and Sacramento’s experiment with fast-paced basketball constantly changed, the team’s other experiment with Bhullar grew more and more successful.And as the season went on and Sacramento’s experiment with fast-paced basketball constantly changed, the team’s other experiment with Bhullar grew more and more successful.
To Arseneault it seemed Bhullar improved the more he worked himself into great shape. In addition to eating better, Bhullar diligently followed a training program the Kings had devised for him. He showed up regularly for workouts with the strength and speed coaches assigned to Reno’s players. He lifted weights. He ran. He got faster.To Arseneault it seemed Bhullar improved the more he worked himself into great shape. In addition to eating better, Bhullar diligently followed a training program the Kings had devised for him. He showed up regularly for workouts with the strength and speed coaches assigned to Reno’s players. He lifted weights. He ran. He got faster.
In the beginning, Bhullar didn’t know how to move his feet. He constantly found himself a step or two behind the smaller, more agile players. But he practiced finding the right places to stand. He learned to move in ways that didn’t leave him lumbering. He grew quick enough to no longer be a burden. His last game he played 38 minutes. This is when the Kings became serious about calling him up.In the beginning, Bhullar didn’t know how to move his feet. He constantly found himself a step or two behind the smaller, more agile players. But he practiced finding the right places to stand. He learned to move in ways that didn’t leave him lumbering. He grew quick enough to no longer be a burden. His last game he played 38 minutes. This is when the Kings became serious about calling him up.
He still remains a work in progress. As big and as intimidating as he can be averaging 3.9 blocked shots a game – third best in the D-League – he is not fierce. “A gentle giant,” Arseneault called him. And the coach worried this was the thing that held his center back a bit.He still remains a work in progress. As big and as intimidating as he can be averaging 3.9 blocked shots a game – third best in the D-League – he is not fierce. “A gentle giant,” Arseneault called him. And the coach worried this was the thing that held his center back a bit.
“I wish he’d exert his strength a little more,” Arseneault said.“I wish he’d exert his strength a little more,” Arseneault said.
Related: 140 points a game – but are the Reno Bighorns a basketball experiment too far?
The coach’s favorite memory of Bhullar came at a practice during a drill that requires players to go one-on-one against each other until the defensive player stops the one on offense. Bhullar, who was using the drill to work on soft hook shots, was losing to a teammate who kept taunting Bhullar as he got the best of him. Suddenly something seemed to snap in the Bighorns center. He picked up the ball, raced as hard as he could to the basket and dunked the ball so hard it knocked the other player down.The coach’s favorite memory of Bhullar came at a practice during a drill that requires players to go one-on-one against each other until the defensive player stops the one on offense. Bhullar, who was using the drill to work on soft hook shots, was losing to a teammate who kept taunting Bhullar as he got the best of him. Suddenly something seemed to snap in the Bighorns center. He picked up the ball, raced as hard as he could to the basket and dunked the ball so hard it knocked the other player down.
Then he did it again. And again. And again. And again.Then he did it again. And again. And again. And again.
“I was grinning from ear-to-ear with each successive time he was backing the other guy in and dunking the ball,” Arseneault said. “What set him off in particular is that one guy who was talking too much. He literally woke the sleeping giant.”“I was grinning from ear-to-ear with each successive time he was backing the other guy in and dunking the ball,” Arseneault said. “What set him off in particular is that one guy who was talking too much. He literally woke the sleeping giant.”
Can the gentle giant play in the NBA? Arseneault hopes so. Few professional players – especially in the D-League – were as unselfish as Bhullar who seemed surprisingly unconcerned with scoring baskets. Many times during games, Arseneault would call to Bhullar promising to get him the ball down by the basket where he could easily score only to have the center shrug and say: “I don’t need the ball.”Can the gentle giant play in the NBA? Arseneault hopes so. Few professional players – especially in the D-League – were as unselfish as Bhullar who seemed surprisingly unconcerned with scoring baskets. Many times during games, Arseneault would call to Bhullar promising to get him the ball down by the basket where he could easily score only to have the center shrug and say: “I don’t need the ball.”
Now a lot is going to be about him. Arseneault has tried to talk with Bhullar – who was born in Canada to Indian immigrants – about his impending legacy as the first player of Indian descent in the NBA. He was surprised how little Bhullar seemed to concerned about it. The player who could someday have the impact that Yao Ming did in China appeared more willing to see how he fit with the Reno Bighorns than he did breaking a barrier.Now a lot is going to be about him. Arseneault has tried to talk with Bhullar – who was born in Canada to Indian immigrants – about his impending legacy as the first player of Indian descent in the NBA. He was surprised how little Bhullar seemed to concerned about it. The player who could someday have the impact that Yao Ming did in China appeared more willing to see how he fit with the Reno Bighorns than he did breaking a barrier.
That will change. Already, there is great theatre around his promotion to the Kings whose owner Vivek Ranadive is from India. The team heralded his arrival by filling the front page of their website with Bhullar photo galleries, Bhullar timelines, Bhullar stories and even a video of Bhullar workout. Friday’s game against New Orleans suddenly has a bigger meaning than the regularly scheduled Comic Con Night. His arrival is a marketing godsend for a fifth-place team going nowhere this year.That will change. Already, there is great theatre around his promotion to the Kings whose owner Vivek Ranadive is from India. The team heralded his arrival by filling the front page of their website with Bhullar photo galleries, Bhullar timelines, Bhullar stories and even a video of Bhullar workout. Friday’s game against New Orleans suddenly has a bigger meaning than the regularly scheduled Comic Con Night. His arrival is a marketing godsend for a fifth-place team going nowhere this year.
And yet none of it would have happened if one experiment hadn’t worked within another, if a mammoth of a man hadn’t found a way to work in a system made for much smaller players.And yet none of it would have happened if one experiment hadn’t worked within another, if a mammoth of a man hadn’t found a way to work in a system made for much smaller players.
Can Sim Bhullar play in the NBA?Can Sim Bhullar play in the NBA?
He’s already won one battle he seemed destined to lose.He’s already won one battle he seemed destined to lose.