History was made last Thursday at the NBA Draft. Indian born, Satnam Bhamara Singh, born in the state of Punjab became the first Indian born player in the NBA after he got drafted by the Dallas Mavericks. He was picked 52nd overall in the second round of the draft.

Singh towers at a staggering 7-foot-2 and takes after his mother and father as clear by his height. His mother is a stunning 6-foot-9 and his father stands 7-foot-3. If you could use one word to describe Singh it would have to be: raw.

He comes from the modest background where most of his life his destiny was to become a farmer like his father. His brother introduced him to the game and he began to draw towards it. Soon he got his chance to prove himself with the summer tryout in 2009 in New Delhi for the national junior team and made the roster as the youngest and tallest boy on the roster.

Singh went to IMG academy and averaged 7 PPG and 4 RPG where his counterparts have had the advantage of playing the sports for years. With the proper coaching, Singh could become a decent player. To some, this a publicity stunt to get more Indian fans, but if he pays off and even just becomes a serviceable role player, the effect will be immense on the Indian population.

In a country full of a billion people, basketball takes a back seat to sports such as badminton and field hockey. India has and always will be a cricket-crazed country, but with players like Singh emerging, the tide is slowly shifting towards the hardwood.

As Indian, I could not be more proud. As they say in India, Bŏla hī zindagī hai ( ball is life)

Shreyas Laddha is a contributor for The Fresh Report. You follow him on Twitter @shre98