<p>Bengaluru: One may only get ridiculed if a budding Indian cager says he or she harbours the dream of making a career in the game. That's because India stands nowhere in comparison to the grand world of the NBA.</p><p>However, Indian basketball has much more to offer with a history as old as 75 years and a best finish of fourth place at the 1951 Asian Games. Cut to 2025, the scene is thriving, making the current generation of national players hopeful of a bright future with its first-ever high-performance centre at the Lakshyan Academy of Sports in Sarjapur here in the city. </p><p>The state-of-the-art facility, unveiled by the Basketball Federation of India and ACG Sports, has been housing the top 50 Indian players (25 men and women each) for the last two months and has three FIBA-standard courts, well-equipped gymnasiums and a world-standard 25-metre swimming pool.</p><p>To top it off, BFI and ACG also announced that the inaugural Indian Basketball League, Indian contemporary of the NBA, will also be organised next year. </p>.Residents cry foul, yet BBMP begins building basketball stadium at Indiranagar .<p>"It's exciting times for us players as so much is happening in Indian basketball," said Muin Bek Hafeez, who captained the national team this year. "With an HPC for elite players coming up and the IBL announced, we are only hopeful of a brighter future."</p>.<p>With the private parties coming on board, the BFI has also streamlined a monthly wage of Rs 75,000 for each of the players, which does the female players a world of good.</p>.<p>"Getting the monthly wage was one of the other positives that has happened to Indian basketball, especially to the female players," said senior player Anmolpreet Kaur.</p>.<p>"Women's basketball is trickier because the employment opportunities for us is limited compared to men's team players due to a lack of corporate teams in the fray. Add IBL to that and players will, hopefully, earn much more.'</p>
<p>Bengaluru: One may only get ridiculed if a budding Indian cager says he or she harbours the dream of making a career in the game. That's because India stands nowhere in comparison to the grand world of the NBA.</p><p>However, Indian basketball has much more to offer with a history as old as 75 years and a best finish of fourth place at the 1951 Asian Games. Cut to 2025, the scene is thriving, making the current generation of national players hopeful of a bright future with its first-ever high-performance centre at the Lakshyan Academy of Sports in Sarjapur here in the city. </p><p>The state-of-the-art facility, unveiled by the Basketball Federation of India and ACG Sports, has been housing the top 50 Indian players (25 men and women each) for the last two months and has three FIBA-standard courts, well-equipped gymnasiums and a world-standard 25-metre swimming pool.</p><p>To top it off, BFI and ACG also announced that the inaugural Indian Basketball League, Indian contemporary of the NBA, will also be organised next year. </p>.Residents cry foul, yet BBMP begins building basketball stadium at Indiranagar .<p>"It's exciting times for us players as so much is happening in Indian basketball," said Muin Bek Hafeez, who captained the national team this year. "With an HPC for elite players coming up and the IBL announced, we are only hopeful of a brighter future."</p>.<p>With the private parties coming on board, the BFI has also streamlined a monthly wage of Rs 75,000 for each of the players, which does the female players a world of good.</p>.<p>"Getting the monthly wage was one of the other positives that has happened to Indian basketball, especially to the female players," said senior player Anmolpreet Kaur.</p>.<p>"Women's basketball is trickier because the employment opportunities for us is limited compared to men's team players due to a lack of corporate teams in the fray. Add IBL to that and players will, hopefully, earn much more.'</p>