Interview: 'There is a tremendous untapped potential for basketball in India' - Yannick Colaco, MD NBA India

A refurbished court courtesy NBA India.

What’s in store for the NBA Store in India?

As our brand grows, we will continue to explore opportunities to give our fans in India more points of engagement with the NBA. Right now we’ve got our merchandise available in over 200 Adidas stores. We have our video game NBA 2K13 available across India and our game ball is widely distributed through our partner Spalding.

Do you think that the popularity of basketball in India depends heavily on the performance of our national team and our place in the FIBA rankings?

As basketball continues to grow, both on the grassroots level, and at the elite level, it will gain even more popularity and momentum. We are very pleased with the direction the sport is headed and work closely with the BFI to grow the game on all levels.

One of the most popular non-cricket events in India is the FIFA World Cup and India is ranked outside the top 140 football nations in the world. As long as you get the youth to sample the sport and engage in it, the potential for growth is immense

Jayasankar Menon said that we have scope for the game at the school and college level but after that there is no great opportunity for pursuing the game.

I think what he was pointing out is that as kids are growing older they are losing engagement with the game. The most important way to build lasting engagement is in strengthening the sports grassroots program and giving youth the opportunity to continue to be a part of the game as they grow older.

There was news of Sony SIX adding more localised content, about basketball in India. Can you give us a glimpse of what’s in store?

We are in the process of finalising the plans for a localised, youth and lifestyle focused basketball program with Sony and we’ll announce the same soon.

You’ve played at the university level. You’ve come up through the levels in India, have you ever witnessed issues like politics holding you back?

I’m really grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to play the game competitively and recreationally. The only thing which held me back from being a better player was talent.

I think it must be a part of your job description to play basketball now.

I wish it was (laughs). I love this game and try and play whenever I get the time too.

What are your strongest convictions about spreading the sport in India?

I’m a big fan of what basketball can do to impact the youth of our country. Grassroots development not only helps grow the game but also instils into youth values that are inherent to basketball – values of teamwork, discipline, dedication and sportsmanship. The positive impact that the growth of the game can have on youth, aside from promoting fitness and good health, is enormous!

What adds to the potential is that basketball is an infrastructure light sport. You don’t need large tracts of land or complex equipment to play the game. All you need is a flat surface, a hoop and a ball. This is especially relevant in most cities in India where land available for sporting facilities is difficult to find.