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Basketball Without Borders

Kim Bohuny, the Vice President of NBA Basketball Operations - International, echoed Mr Elphinston's sentiments. "It's safe to say that we're all leaving India very excited and very encouraged. Because Basketball Without Borders hadn't yet travelled to India, we were unsure what exactly to expect. But we know now that the players are enthusiastic, the government is cooperative and the entire nation is poised for a basketball breakthrough. It will take some time, to develop the sport's infrastructure, but the sky is the limit."

Even those insiders with an Indian perspective found the camp encouraging. Siddharth Chury, a senior marketing representative from Adidas - India, said that changes are being made that will help develop a fan-base for the sport. "Historically, basketball has had a very small budget in India. But the Ministry of Sport seems committed to reversing this trend, in making basketball a priority. Right now, we just have company teams and leagues. But if we can get professional leagues that feature city-based teams, it will produce a connection to the fan. This will result in more sponsorship money, which will make playing more lucrative. It will be a cumulative effect; this weekend's event is the first step, a big step."

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