Former NBA players Isiah Thomas and DeMarcus Cousins visited New Delhi to headline the BUDX NBA House event and discuss basketball's future [1, 3].
The visit marks a strategic effort to diversify India's sporting landscape beyond the dominance of cricket. By engaging with local youth, the legends aim to empower children at the grassroots level and encourage a new generation of athletes to take up the sport [1].
During an exclusive interview, Thomas and Cousins spoke about the potential for basketball in the region. Thomas said he admired the country's landmarks and expressed a desire for local youth to engage more deeply with the game [1].
"I was mesmerised by the Taj Mahal and I just want youngsters to ‘just pick up the ball and start dribbling,'" Thomas said [1].
The BUDX NBA House event served as a platform to promote the sport's accessibility. The initiative focuses on creating synergy between established sports, and emerging interests to build a sustainable basketball culture in India [1, 3].
While some reports of the interview focused on broader discussions regarding NBA greatness and players like LeBron James and Cade Cunningham [2], the primary goal of the New Delhi appearance remained the expansion of the game in Asia. The event provided a direct link between global basketball icons and aspiring Indian players, a move intended to spark interest in the sport's professional pathways [1, 3].
“"I just want youngsters to ‘just pick up the ball and start dribbling.'"”
The presence of high-profile NBA veterans in New Delhi signals a concerted effort by the league and its partners to penetrate the Indian market. By leveraging the star power of players like Thomas and Cousins, the NBA is attempting to shift the cultural needle in a cricket-centric nation, treating India as a critical frontier for global growth and grassroots talent development.
