Who is Princepal Singh? All you need to know about the first Indian to win an NBA Trophy

The 20-year-old, Indian professional basketball player, Princepal Singh became the first Indian in the history of the NBA (National Basketball Association) to be a part of an NBA title-winning team. On Tuesday, his side Sacramento Kings earned the 2021 NBA Summer League title after winning 100-67 against the Boston Celtics. Princepal played the last 4:08 minutes of the game and finished with two points after scoring the final points for the Kings, taking their total score to 100. The Kings became the only franchise to win multiple Summer League titles by dominating their opponents for the entire match.

Princepal Singh- the first person after Satnam Singh to debut in the NBA Summer League

Princepal Singh joined the Sacramento Kings after the team gave him a berth in their 17- member squad for the 3rd Annual California Classic Summer League. He donned the blues for the first time on August 12, therefore becoming the first person after Satnam Singh to debut in the Summer League. 

Who is Principal Singh Bajwa?

Born in Punjab, Princepal Singh Bajwa stands at a height of 6 feet 9 inches and compliments his skills of shooting and rebound on the court. He is also known for carrying a great speed while playing. After growing up playing Volleyball, Princepal joined the Ludhiana Basketball Academy(LBA) when he got noticed by coach Jaipal Singh. He trained at the NBA Academy India in New Delhi before getting called up to the NBA Global Academy in Canberra in 2017.

He went on to capture a gold medal for his state team Punjab in the under-21 category of the Khelo India Youth Games in January 2020. He then signed a one-year contract with NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League, becoming the first NBA Academy India graduate to receive a professional contract. He was selected in the Sacramento Kings after averaging 2.3 points in four games at the NBA G League.

Princepal Singh earned a gold medal for India at the SABA Under-16 Championship in 2017. He went on becoming the MVP of the tournament being played in Kathmandu, Nepal after scoring 20 points in a 131-50 win over Bhutan in the finals. He made his debut for the Indian senior national team by playing at the Super Kung Sheung Cup International Championship 2018 in Hong Kong. He represented India for Window 1 of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualification, managing to score three points, five rebounds, and two assists in the 12 minutes he played. 

(Image Source: NBA India- Instagram)