NBA: Harrison Barnes sees India Games as catalyst for growth of sport

The NBA will expand the game’s reach as two teams — the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings — will travel to India to take part in the first-ever NBA India Games on October 4 and 5 in Mumbai. Both games will be played at the Dome, in Mumbai’s NSCI Stadium. Top hoopers like Harrison Barnes, De’Aaron Fox, Victor Oladipo, Marvin Bagley III, Myles Turner, and others are expected to be in action. 

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Barnes relishes India challenge

The league has already invested in the grassroots infrastructure in India for many years. Barnes has joined the growing list of NBA players that have visited India over the last few years to promote the sport. The 27-year-old Kings forward believes that witnessing the NBA basketball action will be a surreal experience for the sport-crazy fans.

"It’s one thing to promote the game, to have people see the game on TV and interact on social media. But to be able to experience a preseason game will give fans in India an up-close look what the game is all about, to see the competition, to see the plays, feel the excitement. I think that’s what everyone wants to see and everyone wants to promote. So I think it will be a catalyst for the game growing in the country,” Barnes told a select group of journalists on a global conference call on Thursday night.

Barnes made his first trip to India in April this year and has since traveled to Australia and China for FIBA World Cup games. Despite the hectic schedule and traveling, Barnes relishes the pre-season challenge. "I’ve been working closely with our medical staff here, our training staff to make sure my body is in peak shape for all the travel. So with going to India earlier this year, going to the World Cup and now getting ready to go to India again, I’m feeling good. I’m mentally fresh,” said Barnes, who won an NBA Championship with the Warriors in 2015.

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Off-court bonding

The trip to India presents a chance for the players to bond off the court. "Coming into a season, there are always a lot of moving parts regardless of how long you’ve been together. However, I think the biggest thing for us is spending that time together. I think that’s what we’re looking forward to most about this India trip and about this training camp period," Barnes explained.

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Exposing NBA basketball to Indian fans is a responsibility both teams take pride in. The Kings and Pacers will be playing in front of 3,000 youth from India's Jr. NBA program. "To have two great teams come to the country, who are going to play, who are hopefully going to be able to interact with the fans in the arena and on the streets when we’re in town, it’s a big moment. I think you have to take a step back and kind of appreciate the game of basketball has taken us, what the game of basketball has done for so many people and just try to live in that moment," Barnes concluded.

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