Former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Andre Miller is looking to groom the budding hoopsters and promote the sport of basketball during his ongoing visit to India.
“I got an opportunity to interact with young prospects at the NBA Academy India. I am upbeat for the session. I am really excited to contribute to the growth of the sport,” Miller said in a telephonic interview with thestatesman.com.
Miller appeared as a guest analyst on Sony SIX’s NBA morning show ‘Around the Hoop’ on October 28, before coming to the capital city to visit the NBA Basketball School on Monday.
The 41-year-old California-based baller will lead a clinic for young prospects at The NBA Academy India on Tuesday.
Talking about his plan for the interactive session with the Indian ballers, Miller said he would focus on teaching the colts ‘fundamentals’ of the game.
“I am going to talk about basic fundamentals of basketball. We might play games to have a good time. It will be fun teaching them the nitty-gritty of the game. I would try to make the kids understand how to apply the fundamental basics to score in needed times,” he explained.
Miller, a 6’3” point guard from Los Angeles, was selected eighth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1999 NBA Draft. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2000 and was the league leader in assists for the 2001-02 season.
In the NBA’s all-time assist leaders, Miller ranks ninth. He played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs in his 17-year-old b-ball career.
The Californian is the only player in the NBA history to have at least 16,000 career points, 8,000 assists and 1,500 steals without making an NBA All-Star Game.
Miller was of the opinion that there is a lot of potential for the sport in India. “I am sure there must be kids who like basketball, watch the game and want to do better in the sport. All they need is the right guidance. If they are taught the right way, they may break into the best of basketball.”
When asked if he sees the Indian hoopsters making it big in the NBA, Miller said: “I think so. There must be kids here who are gifted talents. If they get their fundamentals clear then NBA is not too far for them.”
On his first visit to India, Miller tried Indian cuisines and fell in love with the spicy and pungent flavours.