It is not very common that teenage Indian sportspersons make a mark for themselves in a sporting discipline other than cricket and that too in an event which is still finding its feet in the country.
Pranav Prince, son of a taxi driver, has defied odds to firmly establish himself as one of the most talented hoopsters in the country. The 16-year-old point guard, who has represented Kerala in various national-level events in different age-groups, dared to dream big and has made rapid strides ever since he was selected to the NBA (National Basketball Association) Academy at Greater Noida last year. Pranav, who stands 6 feet 6 inches tall, recently returned after a training stint at the NBA Global Academy in Australia in which up-and-coming basketball players from 24 countries took part.
“It was a good experience to be part of such a talented bunch of players. The one major difference of the training programme, which contained development activities designed to improve our skill set, was we had ample time for recovery after a day's session,” Pranav told Onmanorama over the phone from Greater Noida.
Big break
Pranav, who is busy combining studies with his training programme, feels being picked by the scouts for the NBA Academy was the best thing to have happened to him. “My father (Prince) and his friend Abhilash (a former Kerala State Electricity Board hoopster) were instrumental in initiating me into the sport. I joined St Joseph's School, Thiruvananthapuram, in order to pursue basketball. Manoj sir (physical education teacher at the school) supported me a lot and then came the big break,” said Pranav.
Pranav's father is a native of Kollam while his mother Elizabeth K M, a head constable, hails from Alappuzha. The teenager found the going tough in his early days at the academy. “The initial days were difficult as my Hindi was very poor. Also I had doubts as to whether I will be as good as the rest of my teammates. Thankfully, that phase is over and I feel confident whether it be conversing with my teammates or the level of my game,” said the Plus One student of Jaypee Public School, Noida.
Pranav is optimistic that Indian basketball will only improve in the days to come. “My aim is to make sure that we qualify for the Under-17 World Cup to be held next year.”
The youngster is realistic while analysing the present state of the sport in the country. “The biggest name in basketball at present is LeBron James. He's 34, and if you compare his fitness levels with that of any 34-year-old Indian player, you will know the difference. Generally, our passion for the sport dips once we land a job. It's not the case elsewhere.”
Pranav says that the NBA Academy has made him a fitter person. “Earlier I was a skinny lad, but now my physique has improved a lot due to the regular workouts at the academy. My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA,” added Pranav.