tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31748998073771403882026-09-11T23:36:23.209+05:30HoopistaniBasketball, India, Philosophy, and everything else in between...KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.comBlogger1764125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-50834717165864768292021-10-24T12:17:00.003+05:302021-10-24T12:18:24.613+05:30Hoopdarshan 109: Amritpal Singh returns to dominate for Team India<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uNNvex9vefXJI2zFap3h9bMilbuRJTU3nF2d1VoR71QRG9S9yiyR02utW95BrAi_iqKXc2k2UAquuPpJIlpKoBk29SQRNp2hJ8N4C_r_-Rtj6s556GH4I8HqMLR-FFrTp68KN-G6Qnw-/s1001/Amritpal+2021+Team+India.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1001" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uNNvex9vefXJI2zFap3h9bMilbuRJTU3nF2d1VoR71QRG9S9yiyR02utW95BrAi_iqKXc2k2UAquuPpJIlpKoBk29SQRNp2hJ8N4C_r_-Rtj6s556GH4I8HqMLR-FFrTp68KN-G6Qnw-/s320/Amritpal+2021+Team+India.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In a must-win qualifying game against Palestine, <b>Amritpal Singh</b> posted 32 points and 12 rebounds to secure a dramatic comeback victory for India. Now, the Punjabi big man joins <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> to look ahead at the FIBA Asia Cup, share how he remained sharp during the Lockdown, and reminisce his time with the NBL in Australia. Hosted by <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b>. <div><br /></div><div> Also in Episode 109, Kaushik and Karan discuss India's performance at the FIBA Asia Women's Cup, and recap the worst storylines of the NBA's offseason.</div><div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=y8rc4-1107611-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&btn-skin=7&size=300" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="Hoopdarshan 109: Amritpal Singh returns to dominate for Team India" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li><li><br /></li></ul></div></div></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com168tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-18295670657158245042021-07-26T09:25:00.001+05:302021-07-26T09:25:25.796+05:30Hoopdarshan 108: NBA Academy India's Pritish Kokate + Finals talk<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUPgzNlBrkddXfniMszIahtxLgbkp1tOBm0odHKhql-B9XYSqkTd5Kaza1VXsSJhyphenhyphenj3JejZphZNPH6tL8CpUnxgTChNAAVTI5Y4n2NXTVm5rdnF7sTaH5oCAODiaIAAYyiHJuYEXcM7kT/s300/Pritish+Kokate.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUPgzNlBrkddXfniMszIahtxLgbkp1tOBm0odHKhql-B9XYSqkTd5Kaza1VXsSJhyphenhyphenj3JejZphZNPH6tL8CpUnxgTChNAAVTI5Y4n2NXTVm5rdnF7sTaH5oCAODiaIAAYyiHJuYEXcM7kT/s320/Pritish+Kokate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After years of perseverance, Pune-based <b>Pritish Kokate</b> found his dream come true in true 'filmi' fashion to become one of the recruits in the prestigious NBA Academy India. Kokate joins <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> 108 to speak to <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> about his hoops journey, the 'Coco On Air' podcast, and to discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo's legacy after the amazing NBA Finals. <div><br /></div><div> Also in Episode 108, Kaushik and Karan break down more of the NBA postseason, celebrate Milwaukee's long-overdue title, preview the Olympic Men's basketball tournament, and speak about Karan's trip to the holy grail of Butter Chicken, Aman Chicken in Ludhiana.</div><div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=vhmqk-1098cc5-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&btn-skin=7&size=300" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="Hoopdarshan 108: NBA Academy India's Pritish Kokate + Finals talk" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul></div></div></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-84696822657252395252021-07-07T12:13:00.001+05:302021-07-07T12:13:18.172+05:30Hoopdarshan 107: The NBA Finals of Sorrow and Joy with Shivam Patel<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg14GSs40iZPj4RxdFeomyTAusWBvPwcljgQ-2-39wh2J7qFfvbzKVfbvI7WvPB6Zra1vOxEO8eDBCfW57lVwsOBH8Xwx2DQ6X81zxPxGecwo0N7Md6n3mDrEi2olCGI5-HCliuUvWa_SG/s1200/Suns+Bucks+Finals.jpeg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg14GSs40iZPj4RxdFeomyTAusWBvPwcljgQ-2-39wh2J7qFfvbzKVfbvI7WvPB6Zra1vOxEO8eDBCfW57lVwsOBH8Xwx2DQ6X81zxPxGecwo0N7Md6n3mDrEi2olCGI5-HCliuUvWa_SG/s320/Suns+Bucks+Finals.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>To preview the unlikely, unfortunate, unprecedented NBA Finals, we welcome to <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> Episode 107 <b>Shivam Patel</b>, one half of the Patel and Kumar NBA Show. Patel joins hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> to discuss the main storylines, everything from CP3 to Giannis, Booker to Middleton, Steve Nash to Lew Alcindor. Who'll be raising the banner when it's all over? <div><br /></div><div>Our Finals special episode also covers the 'playoffs of sadness', the number of important injuries that changed the fate of the title chase this season. We also make our predictions about the big tactical decisions that will decide the champions, and the eventual Finals MVP.</div><div><br /></div><div>Shivam Patel is the co-host of the Patel and Kumar NBA Show and the host/founder of the Patel Pick and Roll Sports with Shivam.</div><div>
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul></div></div></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-39258330926727908252021-06-25T06:39:00.004+05:302021-06-25T06:39:40.655+05:30Hoopdarshan 106: Lalhnehpuia Chhakchhuak on Mizoram hoops and North Park University<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVRa5RBZy9czjpkoIOIVW-vQmThoqAnYX9Zg_dHn-L5fmw1RFqZV8UcSWOsMDdoQ-FTo2Ko_GsX-9b0ccDv1aUleTsowPueb2qIcpoXCGYsiBAk6ohFs2n0D6415gZu5j0Fxvj8usuwNn/s1032/Lalhnehpuia+Chhakchhuak.JPG" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVRa5RBZy9czjpkoIOIVW-vQmThoqAnYX9Zg_dHn-L5fmw1RFqZV8UcSWOsMDdoQ-FTo2Ko_GsX-9b0ccDv1aUleTsowPueb2qIcpoXCGYsiBAk6ohFs2n0D6415gZu5j0Fxvj8usuwNn/s320/Lalhnehpuia+Chhakchhuak.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Earlier this month, Mizoram teenager <b>Lalhnehpuia Chhakchhuak</b>, announced his commitment to the North Park University in Chicago, Illinois, becoming the latest in the line of student-athletes from the NBA Academy India to take their talents to the USA. In Episode 106 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, Chhakchhuak joins co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> to discuss what made him choose North Park, the growing popularity of Mizo Basketball, and how he plans to elevate his game to the next level. <div><br /></div><div>A resident of Aizawl, Chhakchhuak first participated in the 2017-18 Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA programme before joining NBA Academy India in 2018 as a part of the Academy’s second class of student-athletes identified through the ACG-NBA Jump programme.<br /><div><br /></div><div> Kaushik and Karan close this episode with a little preview of the NBA Conference Finals, with a couple of big questions for the two series that loom ahead.</div><div>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="150" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4xyyn-1072491-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&btn-skin=7" style="-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch; border: none; min-width: 100%; overflow: scroll; width: 100%; width: 1px;" title="Hoopdarshan 106: Lalhnehpuia Chhakchhuak on Mizoram hoops and North Park University" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul></div></div></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-39017441770222285862021-06-06T07:42:00.002+05:302021-06-06T07:42:52.725+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 105: Marc Pulles on NBA Academy India's brightest prospects<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NbxngSLkLUooJLG_62GAINJpJ7qdxjcuwr76OMpsAEb2-0ZH_VdgOKXXb7B99FqcY_6enjmV1UmRP21heF2z1UTRGWgVSjrdSeHPsqDzDBUateLYNeb-PzyermgUI5CTbUNS_RDETmOM/s1280/Marc+Pulles+2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NbxngSLkLUooJLG_62GAINJpJ7qdxjcuwr76OMpsAEb2-0ZH_VdgOKXXb7B99FqcY_6enjmV1UmRP21heF2z1UTRGWgVSjrdSeHPsqDzDBUateLYNeb-PzyermgUI5CTbUNS_RDETmOM/s320/Marc+Pulles+2.JPG" /></a></div>Over the past few years, the NBA Academy India has helped a number of bright Indian prospects take the next leap into placements abroad, include G-League's Princepal Singh, Amaan Sandhu, Riyanshu Negi, and more. Director of NBA India's Basketball Operations <b>Marc Pulles</b> joins <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> on <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> to discuss his grassroots work in India, Princepal's improvements, and coaching Luka Doncic. <div><br /></div><div>Marc Pulles Llopis has been a basketball coach for over twenty years, including working with the youth basketball teams of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Andorra, in his homeland, Spain. He has served in NBA Operations in India for nearly five years, leading the growth of the NBA's Academy in Greater Noida, grassroots initiatives like the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA programme, and more. </div><div><br /><div>Also in Episode 105, Kaushik and Karan discuss good news in Indian basketball, the 3BL league, and preview the second round of the NBA playoffs.</div></div><div><br /></div>
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<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul></div></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-21493122259453563202021-05-23T19:53:00.003+05:302021-05-23T19:54:14.171+05:30Hoopdarshan 104: 2021 NBA Playoffs Preview with Akshay Manwani<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyW5z7hBgTS7BSQcAcJcvucmzUinvQiHdaPtGnTt0PJxNDpcvTzgChJj_P2puXKerXDAHWY0Nuyx7acsaSIJ_P_WR1cbjVM085jZqEW9yhVY-x3nEyUEdI-e10Ho42D118S4IWKpBWjXj/s758/Playoffs+2021.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="758" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyW5z7hBgTS7BSQcAcJcvucmzUinvQiHdaPtGnTt0PJxNDpcvTzgChJj_P2puXKerXDAHWY0Nuyx7acsaSIJ_P_WR1cbjVM085jZqEW9yhVY-x3nEyUEdI-e10Ho42D118S4IWKpBWjXj/s320/Playoffs+2021.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times;">Eight First Round Series. Eight BIG Questions. In Episode 104 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, NBA expert <b>Akshay Manwani</b> joins <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> to discuss the end-of-season award winners and help preview the playoffs with the most pressing questions of the First Round: How many Wizards does it take to stop Embiid? What does Giannis do to jump up the next level? Who is the second-best Maverick? And lots, lots more. </span></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan</a></li></ul></div></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
<script src="http://w.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher:'9d355317-3ef9-46db-a94f-c4c47b7362fa'});</script>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-72771282617064611852021-04-15T20:07:00.001+05:302021-04-15T22:36:27.935+05:30Hoopdarshan 103: Mirin Fader on Princepal Singh and Giannis Antetokounmpo<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj832R5AaN5A04YjLt0qjGeJXYxKkIw1rOUchlOHsMml-XTbJXOixFQZPTmxW2-Rpr1N1PhjBJ_71BOvoeLSQY3SHRMz1tXN8_faVC-8epMwgQYpqOY4Pju7xNNCHKBdXxkY0V25SjD9M3Z/s2048/Mirin+Fader.JPG" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj832R5AaN5A04YjLt0qjGeJXYxKkIw1rOUchlOHsMml-XTbJXOixFQZPTmxW2-Rpr1N1PhjBJ_71BOvoeLSQY3SHRMz1tXN8_faVC-8epMwgQYpqOY4Pju7xNNCHKBdXxkY0V25SjD9M3Z/w200-h300/Mirin+Fader.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Princepal Singh became the third Indian to play in the G-League. Last month, <b>Mirin Fader</b> wrote a story on The Ringer about Princepal, his journey from Punjab to the G-League Ignite, and more. Fader joins us on Episode 103 of the Indian basketball podcast, <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> to give the story behind the story: her impressions of Princepal, his current situation, and her research into Punjabi pinni. Plus, she shares details from her highly-anticipated biography of the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo. <div><br /></div><div>Mirin Fader is a staff writer for <a href="https://www.theringer.com/">The Ringer</a>, writing long-form, human-interest features on all sports. She’s the author of the forthcoming book, <i>GIANNIS: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP</i>, based off her profile of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his youngest brother Alex Antetokounmpo. The book will be released August 10, 2021 by Hachette Books. </div><div><br /></div><div> Also in Episode 103, hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> discuss India's upcoming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, the 2021 FIBA Asia Women's Cup, and share thoughts from around the NBA, including Jamal Murray's injury and Steve Nash's crazy first year as a head coach.</div><div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=uqtq3-100c4fc-pb&from=pb6admin&download=1&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&btn-skin=7&size=300" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="Hoopdarshan 103: Mirin Fader on Palpreet Singh and Giannis Antetokounmpo" width="100%"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul></div></div></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-24921914496891868722021-04-10T10:19:00.000+05:302021-04-10T10:19:11.412+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 102: Vishesh Bhriguvanshi Keeps Winning<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY_8E_tbTTi_TYR_2Ty6dSg_8mRrSSgtJP5DZzsQs8UIi8oBOSDoK6O7VDMIZnuSbR7lT1CJGRMBMUdLVdHVixUHL3eBocovdWa_WfCAOkQyAc7VfkhDXgzaBN3vvz2n_LTX-Gyc_gsAO/s1000/Vishesh+Bhriguvanshi.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY_8E_tbTTi_TYR_2Ty6dSg_8mRrSSgtJP5DZzsQs8UIi8oBOSDoK6O7VDMIZnuSbR7lT1CJGRMBMUdLVdHVixUHL3eBocovdWa_WfCAOkQyAc7VfkhDXgzaBN3vvz2n_LTX-Gyc_gsAO/s320/Vishesh+Bhriguvanshi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In Episode 102, Team India captain <b>Vishesh Bhriguvanshi</b> returns to <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> to discuss his miraculous game-winner in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers against Iraq, his dream come true with the Arjuna Award, his recent biography, and that viral ‘pawri’ video. Hosted by <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b>. <div><br /></div><div>Guard/forward for Team India and ONGC, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi has been one of India's best basketball players for over a decade, and recently led India to a 1-1 record in the latest window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Hailing from Varanasi, Bhriguvanshi was conferred the prestigious Arjuna Award last year. </div><div><br /></div><div>In Episode 102, Kaushik and Karan also discuss NBA Academy India's Harshwardhan Tomar receiving a scholarship to play in the US and share their opinions in the most wide-open NBA MVP race in years.</div><div><br />
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul></div>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-13078624818726204592021-02-28T20:16:00.003+05:302021-02-28T20:16:46.453+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 101: All Star and Midseason Musings with Ashwin Gopinath<span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVF4IZHNT0PU_30nmIoxNyXX26Qn5Edt7ZBNmHn6ovHmtFuH2EYl3g9Aea41YiTgL4C1z1cxUCXeDty04miKS7BDCcp79GR5FjIuFRNWW1Ws4Fe-PGSRIZqgDZraMP33KQfByN3auxrJn/s300/all+star+2021.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVF4IZHNT0PU_30nmIoxNyXX26Qn5Edt7ZBNmHn6ovHmtFuH2EYl3g9Aea41YiTgL4C1z1cxUCXeDty04miKS7BDCcp79GR5FjIuFRNWW1Ws4Fe-PGSRIZqgDZraMP33KQfByN3auxrJn/s320/all+star+2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The 2021 NBA All Stars have already been named, and of course, we have some thoughts to share. <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> Episode 101 features co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> in conversation with <b>Ashwin Gopinath</b>, co-host of the Ball is Bae podcast, to discuss the names that made it, the names that didn't, and answer some questions about what have gotten right and wrong in the NBA season so far. Including the all important question: Who will be the <i>last</i> pick in the All Star draft? <div><br /></div><div> In addition, Kaushik and Karan recap India's performance at the recent window of FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers, a two-game slate that included Vishesh Bhriguvanshi's epic "floating three-pointer" to give India a victory over Iraq. Plus, we check in with the most-recent Indian presence in the NBA's G-League, Princepal Singh. </div><div><br /></div><iframe data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="400" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/s527i-fc200c?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=" style="border: none;" title="Hoopdarshan Episode 101: All Star and Midseason Musings with Ashwin Gopinath" width="400"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul><span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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</div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com374tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-64982934531341417612021-02-14T18:51:00.000+05:302021-02-14T18:51:09.013+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 100: Century Celebrations with Padma Shri Anitha Pauldurai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFyWYiqZn9EkJgCkbJYXXJY4m0XMl0bYk8bNirOKDeXL9mjSeqE4nNManer83XKQ9FZT7-AxYlqncizYhbJnTqs-qyJPIjAWYzb38N8cMd6hT8E-f7dOJkcrir1r8lhlVJD5WfmExtwpj/s833/wilt+hoopdarshan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="833" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFyWYiqZn9EkJgCkbJYXXJY4m0XMl0bYk8bNirOKDeXL9mjSeqE4nNManer83XKQ9FZT7-AxYlqncizYhbJnTqs-qyJPIjAWYzb38N8cMd6hT8E-f7dOJkcrir1r8lhlVJD5WfmExtwpj/w400-h329/wilt+hoopdarshan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div>It's episode 100! A time for the <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, India's truest basketball podcast, to celebrate our century. In this landmark episode, co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> discuss the podcast's highlights over the past 5 years, interview Indian basketball's Padma Shri awardee <b>Anitha Pauldurai</b>, and add the film <i>Chhalaang</i> to the Indian Basketball Movie Database. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyqrNFW1MNnhAA3nS06041eyyXO5wR_J68TVaagbEzmfNztQ67wwRLOLgQrUgh0lQOfgL0zXnv6qR09xmx_uOkAYE2VLkXLKQa5SI5walmTz2BlAUym0m1gg8vp-SvYkKbgDq7ni3YWSw/s604/Anitha+Paul+Durai+15+-+Copy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="522" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyqrNFW1MNnhAA3nS06041eyyXO5wR_J68TVaagbEzmfNztQ67wwRLOLgQrUgh0lQOfgL0zXnv6qR09xmx_uOkAYE2VLkXLKQa5SI5walmTz2BlAUym0m1gg8vp-SvYkKbgDq7ni3YWSw/w228-h263/Anitha+Paul+Durai+15+-+Copy.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>A resident of Chennai, Pauldurai is one of the greatest hoopers in Indian basketball history. The guard/forward has been a regular in the national team for nearly two decades, and has captained India to a number of past glories. She became only the second basketball player in India to receive the Padma Shri award in 2021. </div><div><br /></div><div>Episode 100 also features a conversation about India Men's upcoming FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, a shake-up in the domestic basketball structure, the exploits of Princepal Singh for G-League's Ignite, and much more.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <iframe title="Hoopdarshan Episode 100: Century Celebrations with Padma Shri Anitha Paul Durai." height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/5fb75-faa9be?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth="></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br /><br />Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul></div><span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
<script src="http://w.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher:'9d355317-3ef9-46db-a94f-c4c47b7362fa'});</script>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com75tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-30654660306304139132020-12-24T09:19:00.000+05:302020-12-24T09:19:05.308+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 99: Aparna Rajkumar on Women's basketball and broadcasting in India<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoeCBq1RoDP8aFDbHuBELQVminZHOUlYM0SFf3SQPzOHyEg1l1tH4TOV-EdkOiYLDXvPSWR4aWGzR9nVF-U-m5k2qzdD2PbYImXq1EaMD3OeEakF3f3t9AVzU7OWNyub6dFYIU7KlyUJn/s648/Aparna+Rajkumar.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoeCBq1RoDP8aFDbHuBELQVminZHOUlYM0SFf3SQPzOHyEg1l1tH4TOV-EdkOiYLDXvPSWR4aWGzR9nVF-U-m5k2qzdD2PbYImXq1EaMD3OeEakF3f3t9AVzU7OWNyub6dFYIU7KlyUJn/w320-h320/Aparna+Rajkumar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A true hoops lifer, <b>Aparna Rajkumar</b><b><br /></b> has been the voice behind many of top Indian basketball broadcast over the years, commenting on national and international tournaments and hosting India's top women's players on her online show, 'Stree Got Game'. Rajkumar joins <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> on the <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> podcast to discuss basketball broadcasting in country, challenges faced by India's top female players, watching Magic Johnson on the court, and the Indian women's GOAT.<div><br /></div><div>Rajkumar is a sportscaster and a former multi-sport athlete. As a broadcaster, she has commentated on multiple Indian national championships for Doordarshan, the FIBA Asia Championship in Chennai, 3x3BL in India, Khelo India Games, and a number of other national, state, and invitational tournaments. She played basketball for Tamil Nadu state at al the levels.
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</div><div><br /></div><div> In addition to our special guest interview, Kaushik and Karan also recap India's recent showing at the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifying window and preview the upcoming NBA season. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br /><br />Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul><span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
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</script></div>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-235699783226445462020-11-10T18:41:00.002+05:302020-11-10T18:41:13.779+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 98: NBA Bubble Stories and more with Gautam Kapur<div class="separator"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyOs2Y_ozDASC8pIbCM_R_jE-QZzk1Rzt6nidYKvVW0RqzLo3OowMUcxvma9ZPhWeDa9HH-L06EJL2XuIJl2GcM9gwfWNz03UfXIHd5nqLqUdgHRluj5D8Df7jRhkuCRAz-143Kum-mId/s1127/Gautam+Kapur.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyOs2Y_ozDASC8pIbCM_R_jE-QZzk1Rzt6nidYKvVW0RqzLo3OowMUcxvma9ZPhWeDa9HH-L06EJL2XuIJl2GcM9gwfWNz03UfXIHd5nqLqUdgHRluj5D8Df7jRhkuCRAz-143Kum-mId/s320/Gautam+Kapur.jpg" /></a></div><br />Gautam Kapur</b>, the Associate Manager of Basketball Strategy at the NBA, spent several months this year in the NBA's "Bubble" in Orlando, helping monitor the league's state-of-the-art healthcare technology. Kapur joins <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> in Episode 98 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> to share fascinating stories from the Bubble, growing up and playing basketball in India, memories from the NBA India Games, and the Lakers' Butter Chicken connection. </div><p>In Episode 98, we also discussed India's upcoming FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers, South Asian representation in the NBA, while Kapur told us why the Homecourt app which he has been involved in could be a game-changer for basketball everywhere. <i> </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><iframe data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="122" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/ztwnk-f1db28?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107" style="border: none;" title="Hoopdarshan Episode 98: NBA Bubble Stories and more with Gautam Kapur" width="100%"></iframe><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br /><br />Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /></p><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul><span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
<script src="http://w.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher:'9d355317-3ef9-46db-a94f-c4c47b7362fa'});</script>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-40795028279037289512020-10-19T17:14:00.000+05:302020-10-19T17:14:10.253+05:30Hoopdarshan 97: Lakers & LeBron championship recap with Vinod Muthukumar<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yOpZsc0GBgackIyHaa-hL7sVgut7wGo-9D43XCNu2nk03Dygijjy1QyZtawL-hjWtK3mmGq9xwXi4CAaUj7wMNpPT-tQaAFoWiULQKl2jIZ2A6fRVpx-nVl8G3soRtujEYJD63798ux_/s1200/lakers-title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yOpZsc0GBgackIyHaa-hL7sVgut7wGo-9D43XCNu2nk03Dygijjy1QyZtawL-hjWtK3mmGq9xwXi4CAaUj7wMNpPT-tQaAFoWiULQKl2jIZ2A6fRVpx-nVl8G3soRtujEYJD63798ux_/s320/lakers-title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Lakers are 2020 NBA Champions! In Episode 97 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> invite <b>Vinod Muthukumar</b> - Maharashtra basketball tsar & co-host of the Patel and Kumar NBA Show - to discuss what this championship means in Lakers lore, appreciate LeBron’s consistent greatness, AD’s game-changing addition, Jimmy Butler’s inspiring moments, and more. </div><p>Vinod Muthukumar is the Director of Business Development at KOOH Sports Private Limited, who have launched a number of products and programmes to help younger kids in India get better access/sports training. He also launched the Elevate Basketball Academy. He has been behind the organising committee of so many basketball events in Maharashtra, has been a regular commentator - and most recently is the co-host of India's only NBA Talkshow, Patel and Kumar. <i> </i></p><iframe title="Hoopdarshan 97: Lakers & LeBron championship recap with Vinod Muthukumar" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/ukcf7-efc44c?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe><p><i><span> </span><br /></i></p><p><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br /><br />Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /></p><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul><span class="st_email"></span><span class="st_facebook"></span><span class="st_twitter"></span><span class="st_sharethis" displaytext="ShareThis"></span>
<script src="http://w.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher:'9d355317-3ef9-46db-a94f-c4c47b7362fa'});</script>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-18516461253817338662020-09-29T20:52:00.002+05:302020-09-29T20:53:26.414+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 96: Lakers and Heat NBA Finals Preview with Abhishek Bhardwaj<div class="separator"><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLK1HYmhZKKoKO2xRW_LhwNzSbi7vKx82bQ1_nkpAFgyBaPJYV6XPFwRHSiJcx3T28sW9RJy-w0rzJCJzsF1ilyzeV4jJ_PNEEvfizfGq7Zcyz26DWNxHI8BexD5Yh1XaQJw87_DyYmGTO/s320/Lakers+Heat.jpg" width="320" /></p></div><p>It took a lot longer than usual, but the 2020 NBA Finals are finally here! In Episode 96 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> welcome Lakers superfan <b>Abhishek Bhardwaj</b> to discuss a number of intriguing storylines including AD vs. Bam, Riley vs. LeBron, Kuzma vs. Herro, Lakers stars vs. Heat Culture, Kobe, Dwight, and much more. </p><p>In Episode 96, Kaushik and Karan also discussed recent Indian basketball news, including Vishesh Bhriguvanshi's Arjuna Award and Prince Pal Singh's inclusion in NBA G-League ignite. The episode ends with a special new edition to the Indian Basketball Movie Database <i>Chhichhore. </i></p>
<iframe title="Hoopdarshan Episode 96 Lakers and Heat NBA Finals Preview with Abhishek Bhardwaj" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/c3crc-ed9bdc?from=usersite&vjs=1&skin=1&fonts=Helvetica&auto=0&download=1" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player"></iframe><p><i><span> </span><br /></i></p><p><a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br /><br />Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br /><br />Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br /></p><ul><li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li><li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li><li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li><li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan </a></li></ul>KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-46059012210907494582020-08-17T17:54:00.000+05:302020-08-17T17:56:18.893+05:30Hoopdarshan 95: Yash Matange on India's rising prospects + Bubble Playoff Preview <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In Episode 95 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, we welcome NBA India editor and writer <b>Yash Matange</b>. Matange discusses the success of recent Indian prospects like Prince Pal Singh, Anna Mary Zachariah, Siya Deodhar and more with co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b>. Then, we preview the unprecedented NBA Bubble Playoffs, from Dame Time and Lakers Questions to Giannis, Toronto, Nuggets, and more.<br />
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<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</a></li>
</ul>
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</div>
KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-2461601620720116532020-07-22T19:34:00.000+05:302020-07-22T19:39:12.506+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 94: Siddarth Sharma on the UBA League and his epic bike trip to the NBA India Games<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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To watch the first-ever NBA India Games in October, Indian basketball superfan and journalist <b>Siddarth Sharma</b> (a.k.a. SidBreakBall) embarked on an epic 3-day, 2,000 km bike journey from Kolkata to Mumbai. On Episode 94 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, Sharma joins co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> to discuss this wild trip, his memories at the very first NBA preseason game in India, working as a broadcaster for the UBA league, and the hoops scene in Kolkata. <br />
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As an NBA and Indian basketball writer, Sharma has contributed over a thousand stories to SportsKeeda and other websites. He worked as a guest commentator at the UBA pro league in India and now works at Decathlon Sports India. <br />
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<iframe height="430" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/multi?playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fplaylist.podbean.com%2F750180%2Fplaylist_multi.xml&vjs=1&size=430&skin=1&episode_list_bg=%23ffffff&bg_left=%23000000&bg_mid=%230c5056&bg_right=%232a1844&podcast_title_color=%23c4c4c4&episode_title_color=%23ffffff&auto=0&share=0&fonts=Helvetica&download=0&rtl=0&show_playlist_recent_number=10" style="border: none;" title="Hoopdarshan" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</a></li>
</ul>
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KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-39900202111042675412020-06-20T16:59:00.000+05:302020-07-22T03:55:36.290+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 93: Teenage phenom Harsimran Kaur on the NCAA future and WNBA dreams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOc7ggvPoa55pQCTWbnOdCk-es6E91xbLyzwMlZbFq3AfqtSD6av34N5i_GjPa1LV4dfIUv1tVyAw5aDHSsTOFUXbhdqXghaTURgZNKfzt9A45M39qEze-tps1GIswvKTEVbH75JD_c-0/s1600/Harsimran+Kaur.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOc7ggvPoa55pQCTWbnOdCk-es6E91xbLyzwMlZbFq3AfqtSD6av34N5i_GjPa1LV4dfIUv1tVyAw5aDHSsTOFUXbhdqXghaTURgZNKfzt9A45M39qEze-tps1GIswvKTEVbH75JD_c-0/s320/Harsimran+Kaur.png" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>One of the brightest young stars in Indian basketball, 17-year-old <b>Harsimran 'Hunny' Kaur</b>, joins Episode 93 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>. The teenager from Kapurthala, Punjab spoke to hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> about joining University of San Diego of the NCAA D1, dreams to become the first Indian in the WNBA, and how she finally defeated her father - a former national player - on the court. <br />
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Kaur, at 6-foot-3, is one of the best young players in India. Along with breakout performances at the NBA Academy India women's programmes, she has also taken part in training camps at the NBA Global Academy in Australia, the BWB Global camp in Chicago during NBA All Star, the NCAA Next Generation event, India's senior team at the South Asian Games, and the national U18 team at the FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup. <br />
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<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</a></li>
</ul>
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KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-88635462900264533182020-05-10T00:34:00.002+05:302020-05-10T00:34:56.140+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 92: Indo-Canadian baller Bikramjit Gill on his 3x3 journey <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In Episode 92, Indo-Canadian baller <b>Bikramjit Gill</b> joins <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> from Toronto, where he talks to co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> about staying fit in lockdown, the journey that made him a 3x3 phenom in India, the state of Indian basketball, how the nickname '6earded King' came about, and much more!<br />
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Gill, who lives between Toronto and New Delhi, has played for the Ball State University in Indiana, Japan's JBA B-League, and was the MVP of the 3x3.EXE Premier League. He has represented Canada at the 3x3 World Cup. For the last few years, he has been part of the 3BL in India. <br />
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<iframe data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="122" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/h6rct-dbd39f?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&skin=1&btn-skin=107&auto=0&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1" style="border: none;" title="Hoopdarshan Episode 92: Bikramjit Gill on his journey to 3x3 success" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</a></li>
</ul>
<br /></div>
KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-7011488364747681692020-04-25T15:18:00.000+05:302020-04-25T15:18:24.893+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 91: Michael Jordan and The Last Dance with Vasu Kulkarni<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In a pandemic-afflicted world without sport (or any outdoor activity), there is nothing that we needed more than 'The Last Dance' the documentary on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. In Episode 91 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, the biggest desi MJ fan on earth - Krossover founder/CEO <b>Vasu Kulkarni</b> - joins <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> to discuss his early reactions to the documentary, his memories of becoming an MJ fan, the numerous times he met Michael Jordan in person, plus bonus stories of the Warriors dynasty and David Stern's favourite emoji. <br />
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Kulkarni is the Founder/CEO of video analysis service Krossover and a venture capitalist with Courtside Ventures. Raised in Bangalore, he can usually be found hooping in New York City on courtside at Warriors' games. <br />
<br />
<iframe data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="122" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/m9v2n-da5d51?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&skin=1&btn-skin=107&auto=0&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1" style="border: none;" title="Hoopdarshan Episode 91: Michael Jordan and The Last Dance with Vasu Kulkarni" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-58632503230792034122020-04-10T16:59:00.001+05:302020-04-10T16:59:35.004+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 90: India's rising basketball star Amaan Sandhu on quarantine life and beyond<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After spending the last few years 'in the lab', improving his game at the NBA Academy India, 17-year-old 7-footer <b>Amaan Sandhu</b> made his senior national India debut in the winter. In Episode 90 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> welcome Sandhu to talk about his rapid improvements, inheriting the hoops-gene from his high-flying father, his plans during the nationwide lockdown, and the world's greatest nickname: Big Baby Punjab. <br />
<br />
Originally from Mohali, Sandhu is one of the brightest rising stars in Indian basketball. The 17-year-old product of the NBA Academy India has earned the opportunity to play in NBA Global Camps, NBA Academy Games, Basketball Without Borders Global and Asia events, and most-recently, made his debut in India's senior team in the 2019 South Asian Games and 2020 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. <br />
<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-75672582847610936352020-02-26T18:00:00.001+05:302020-02-26T18:00:18.884+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 89: Micah Adams on the All Star Weekend and NBA India Games<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Joining hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> in Episode 89 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> is the great <b>Micah Adams</b>, the NBA Global Managing Editor for DAZN and co-host of NBA Soundsystem. One of the most astute minds working in the game today, Adams discussed his on/off court experiences from the All Star Weekend in Chicago, the ELAM Ending, Stats vs. Eye-Test, Kobe, his Mumbai trip for the NBA India Games, the Rockets, 76ers, and more.<br />
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In Episode 89, Kaushik and Karan discuss some of the latest news in Indian basketball too, including the first window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, Indian youngsters at the BWB Global Camp, and the Wizards becoming the latest to bid to become 'India's team'. <br />
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<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</a></li>
</ul>
<br /></div>
KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-70340000517585192742020-02-04T19:20:00.002+05:302020-02-04T19:20:37.260+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 88: Kobe Bryant + India's internationally-acclaimed FIBA official, Norman Isaac<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We start off this episode with a lengthy discussion on life, legacy, and untimely death of the late, great Kobe Bryant.<br />
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In episode 88 of <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b>, we welcome <b>Norman Isaac</b>, India's own FIBA Technical Delegate and Commissioner who has officiated high-level international matches for decades, including the recent FIBA World Cup Final in Beijing. Isaac speaks to co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> about working a big event like the World Cup, the evolution of international basketball officiating over the years, how to improve the status of Indian basketball, and his own playing days for Andhra Pradesh. <br />
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In 2017, Isaac became the first-ever Indian to be named a FIBA Technical Delegate. He has served as FIBA Commissioner in numerous international basketball events, including the World Cup, FIBA Qualifiers and the FIBA Asia Cup. Originally from Hyderabad, he has been a referee for nearly 20 years and was appointment as chairman of BFI’s Technical Commission in 2015.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
<ul>
<li>- iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">Hoopdarshan </a></li>
<li>- <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> </li>
<li>- On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoopdarshan">@Hoopdarshan</a> </li>
<li>- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoopdarshan?fref=ts">Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br /></div>
KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-2459873217636670692019-12-21T17:01:00.000+05:302019-12-21T17:01:30.865+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 87: Best of the 2010s with Gopalakrishnan R. and Akshay Manwani<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Join <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> in a double-sided bonanza episode, where hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> wave goodbye to the 2010s by discussing the best of the last ten years. In Part 1, we are joined by Indian basketball writer <b>Gopalakrishnan R.</b> to create India's Men and Women's All-Decade teams. In Part 2, we welcome NBA India expert <b>Akshay Manwani</b> to debate our All-Decade starting fives. It's peak Hoopdarshan, straddling a foot in each of our favourite hooping worlds. <br />
<br />
Gopalakrishnan R. is the founder of the Indian basketball platform <a href="http://ekalavyas.com/">Ekalavyas</a> which promotes and curates hoops content from around the country. Akshay Manwani is a writer, commentator, and broadcast guest for Sony/TEN's coverage of the NBA in India.<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/731840344&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hoopdarshan">Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud</a> or search for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/podcast/hoopdarshan/id979004757?mt=2">'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes</a> Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!<br />
<br />
Hoopdarshan can be found on...<br />
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KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-62321620071622626912019-12-08T14:36:00.002+05:302019-12-08T14:36:52.788+05:30The Thin Red Line<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>A tweet of support to Hong Kong protestors by an NBA manager endangers the league’s following in China and exposes its own double standards.</b><br />
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<i>This essay was originally published in the November 2019 edition (Volume 9, Issue 1) of Fountain Ink Magazine. <a href="https://fountainink.in/essay/the-thin-red-line">You can find the piece online here</a> - first published on Nov 11, 2019.</i><br />
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Adam Silver, commissioner of the most powerful and influential basketball league in the world, sat in the middle of the dais in a large press room at Mumbai’s NSCI Dome. He was flanked by Vivek Ranadive and Herb Simon, owners of the two teams who were set to play the historic first-ever NBA pre-season game in India. It was the setting of a monumental step forward for basketball in India.<br />
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And for the business of basketball, too. Before the first of the two games between the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers, Silver and Co. announced that the North-American National Basketball Association (NBA) had been considering the launch of an affiliate basketball league in India. Silver mentioned that there were millions of young players, part of the NBA’s India grassroots programme with the Reliance Foundation. He added that hundreds of millions were now watching NBA games live on Indian TV.<br />
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That night’s game was a success, a thrilling overtime win for the Pacers, cheered on by 35,000 Indian kids in attendance from the NBA’s junior programme. The league, which has taken advantage of the worldwide popularity of basketball to become a global brand name, had scored in its longest shot yet to grab a stake in the Indian market.<br />
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Without a professional league, national success, or a profitable career path, basketball remains a niche sport in India, far from the eyes of the mainstream. But the NBA hasn’t been deterred, and they have continued to believe in India’s potential.<br />
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Part of this optimism is based on India having the second-largest population on Earth. China, the country that stands at number one, is also the world’s biggest pool of NBA and basketball fans, with the numbers topping off over 300 million. China has a far more mature basketball market, its own pro league, better infrastructure, and stars like Yao Ming that popularised the NBA in its backyard. In China, pre-season games like those that took place in India have been held every year since 2004.<br />
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India, of course, lags far behind. But the numbers and growing consumer culture is enough to encourage any foreign investors that, even a small percentage of fans from India’s billion-plus population would be a significant addition to the NBA’s global bottom line. <br />
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From lucrative shoe deals to broadcast partnerships to just about everything else around the game, China has been a goldmine for the league for decades. NBA players are worshipped in China, and, in return, the NBA gives back with special interest to its loyal fan base in a variety of ways.<br />
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But then, Daryl Morey tweeted.<br />
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*** <br />
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On October 4, 2019, the same day Silver, Ranadive, and Simon sat at a press conference in Mumbai, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey—one of the most respected minds in the business—tweeted an image with the words “Fight for Freedom / Stand with Hong Kong”.<br />
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He deleted that tweet. But the damage was done.<br />
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Tensions between “mainland” China and Hong Kong—a special administrative region—have been simmering for decades. But this year these tensions escalated to fever pitch, with protests in Hong Kong all summer. They began as a movement against the Fugitive Offenders amendment bill, worrying citizens that it could be used to potentially subject them to mainland Chinese jurisdiction. The relationship between the two states is complicated, as one believes in its autonomy (Hong Kong) and the other in its sovereignty over the entire territory (China).<br />
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The protests turned violent and caught the attention of Human Rights watchdogs around the world. In the ongoing trade war between the US and Chinese governments, China’s actions in Hong Kong have come under even higher scrutiny.<br />
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So, of course, the Chinese were unhappy about Morey’s tweet, especially considering that they looked at the NBA—and all its affiliates—as friends of their nation. In response, Morey received a planned, cohesive online attack. Based on a review of nearly 170,000 tweets by the Wall Street Journal and more expert information, Morey received angry responses from a number of pro-China Twitter troll accounts, many of them bots or created solely for the function of harassing the GM. Several of those tweets included the phrase “NSML”, a Chinese acronym for “your mother is dead”.<br />
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Morey’s own ownership group with the Rockets immediately distanced themselves from their general manager’s message. The NBA’s commissioner claimed that China even requested that Morey be fired from his job.<br />
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What complicates Morey’s personal involvement even further is that his employers—the Rockets—have been historically the most popular NBA team in China. They drafted and fielded Chinese legend Yao through the course of his Hall of Fame career and have had a large number of sponsorships and partnerships with Chinese companies.<br />
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The NBA’s first reaction was to douse the fire. After Mumbai, commissioner Silver flew to Tokyo for the NBA Japan Games, from where he put out an apology for offending the Chinese. The Rockets’ biggest superstar James Harden offered his own extended apology over his own GM’s tweet. Joseph Tsai, the new Chinese-origin (born in Taiwan) owner of NBA franchise Brooklyn Nets, reprimanded Morey in an open letter and supported China’s party line.<br />
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Back in the States, the NBA’s considerably “weak” apology to China became a firebrand issue for political conservatives. The NBA and its players had historically held a liberal stance on politics and opposed the US President. Silver hadn’t held back the league’s biggest names from speaking about the political issues they believed in.<br />
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Their collective distancing from Morey seemed like a hypocritical turn to appease a nation that had been so lucrative for their business. Despite being vocal about human rights at home, the league was blamed for choosing money over human rights issues abroad. President Donald Trump of course got into the action, singling outspoken NBA coaches Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich for their distance from the China issue. “I watch the way that Kerr, Popovich, and some of the others were pandering to China and yet to our own country, they don’t—it’s like they don’t respect it.”<br />
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Right after his stopover in Japan, Silver was actually on a scheduled trip to China for this year’s NBA China Games in Shanghai and Shenzhen. The two games featured the Los Angeles Lakers—led by the NBA’s biggest name LeBron James—and the Brooklyn Nets, the team owned by Tsai. In a warning shot to the NBA, China cancelled the local broadcast of these games as a punishment for Morey’s tweet.<br />
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To keep its players from making inflammatory statements, the NBA cancelled all media interaction during the two games in China. Back in the United States, journalists were stopped from asking the China question and fans supporting Hong Kong were told to leave NBA arenas.<br />
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The media blackout, and the bans, were strikingly similar to China’s operations over its own affairs. The NBA—a model of free speech and liberalism at home—had seemingly paid obeisance to China by sacrificing some of its own values.<br />
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A recent, ongoing case of the NBA supporting a player’s outspokenness has been that of the Celtics’ Swiss-born Turkish player Enes Kanter, who is a vocal critic of Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan. The criticism has brought him death threats, cost him contact with his family, and made him a pariah in his homeland. But the NBA has stood by the player, often to Turkey’s displeasure.<br />
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China, however, is a different and more financially-sensitive issue. Silver eventually clarified his previous statement by saying that he supported the rights of Morey (and others) to speak out about the causes they believed in.<br />
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But when the Lakers returned stateside from China and their media blackout was lifted, James was asked to speak about the issue, and he only dug himself and the league into a deeper hole: he called Morey misinformed about the Hong Kong issue—a fight for democratic rights—and complained about the inconvenience that Morey’s tweet had caused him.<br />
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James is one of the flagship athletes for Nike, and China is one of the biggest markets for the sports-apparel company. Next summer, James will hope to oversee the release of his movie Space Jam 2 in China under Warner Bros.These are major financial considerations for him. After establishing a reputation as one of the most-outspoken athletes for justice in his homeland, James, too, has been perceived as powerless in front of China’s financial might. It was his weakest performance since the 2011 NBA Finals.<br />
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A few days after James’ message, a group of around 200 Hong Kong citizens gathered together on basketball courts for a protest. They chanted “Thank You, Morey”. Some wore masks of a “Crying LeBron” meme and some burned James’ jerseys. “Students, they come out like every weekend,” said one protestor to The Guardian. “They’ve got tear gassed and then they got gun-shot, like every weekend. Police beating students and then innocent people, like every day. And then [James] just comes up with something [like] that. We just can’t accept that.”<br />
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This issue is not going to go away. China’s human rights violations and history of totalitarian control over its people isn’t a new story. But for the longest time, the NBA—and countless other organisations from Disney and Nike to Apple and General Motors—have looked the other way at the bad news to continue business relations.<br />
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<a href="https://fountainink.in/files/content/515734546810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="433" height="320" src="https://fountainink.in/files/content/515734546810.jpg" width="213" /></a>After all, every nation is flawed, and every company has a dark side. There are injustices in the USA, in Britain, in South Africa, in Saudi Arabia, in India. And yet, for the sake of international trade and relations, nations and private institutions make concessions, turn a blind eye, continue business-as-usual.<br />
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But most of those other companies aren’t the NBA. On his HBO show “Last Week Tonight” last Sunday (blocked in China, of course), host John Oliver best summed up the dilemma: “The NBA can either have a commitment to free speech, or they can have guaranteed access to the Chinese market. But they cannot have both.”<br />
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*** <br />
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For centuries, sport has served as a balm for the aches of society, a kind of necessary distraction for the public, a unifying force for those with different political, economic, and social backgrounds.<br />
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But try as it might, sport hasn’t been able to separate itself from politics, and often served as a giant loudspeaker for global political causes. The 1936 Olympics in Germany will mostly be remembered for American track-and-field athlete Jesse Owens’ remarkable rebuke to Adolf Hitler’s Aryan nationalism at the global stage. African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos clenched their fists in the Black Power salute at the medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali became a symbol of the American civil rights struggle after refusing the Vietnam War draft in 1967. Football icon Diego Maradona scored two winning goals for Argentina against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, celebrated by Argentines as revenge for the Falklands War.<br />
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In recent years, the most discussed case in the relationship between sport and politics in North America has been that of American Football player Colin Kaepernick. To protest police brutality and racism in the USA, Kaepernick began to take a knee during the pre-game national anthems before National Football League (NFL) games. The stance led him to being blackballed by the NFL and he wasn’t given a chance to play professionally again.<br />
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Last year, Nike made Kaepernick the face of their social justice ad campaign, continuing their support for American athletes who have spoken up politically in recent years—much like LeBron James. James, famously, called Trump a “bum” on Twitter and stood by his right to not “shut up and dribble” in the face of attacks from American conservatives. It was that bold move that earned James the respect of so many in his country and abroad.<br />
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And that is why it was equally disappointing to many when James criticised Morey’s rights to express his solidarity for social justice abroad, for Hong Kong citizens against China.<br />
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In India, the intersection of politics and sport has almost always involved our two national obsessions of cricket and Pakistan. Cricket, the country’s favourite sport and true love; Pakistan, our national enemy, our border opposite. India and Pakistan have often looked upon each other as evil twins; but like twins, they also have intricate similarities, and in this case, are bound by their mutual passion for cricket.<br />
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Whether it’s General Zia attending an India-Pakistan match in Jaipur in 1987, India’s “Friendship” tour of Pakistan in 2004, or India threatening to boycott the 2019 World Cup game against Pakistan following the Pulwama suicide bombing, the international matches between these two nations have rarely been only about the sport itself.<br />
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But standing up for your country in the face of an outside “enemy” is easy—it’s much more difficult when one has to stand up for the country against the country’s own government, policies, or injustices. During the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Indian legend M. S. Dhoni donned wicket-keeping gloves with the insignia of the Indian army’s special forces to nationalistic praise from home. But would he—or someone of his status—make a gesture to protest India’s domestic social problems?<br />
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<a href="https://fountainink.in/files/content/115734546812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="800" height="228" src="https://fountainink.in/files/content/115734546812.jpg" width="320" /></a>Historically, Indian athletes have steered clear of inflammatory political statements against their government, be it in relation to oppression of religion, caste, gender, language, or culture. Athletes are often at the frontline representing Indian nationalism: they wear the nation’s colours on their badges, salute the national anthem before a big game, and dedicate their performance to the country’s national pride.<br />
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Then, there’s the matter of economics, too. Big business has the power to crown world leaders or exile them. They also have the power of influencing the Indian public figures they sponsor to stick to the message for the lowest common denominator, to please all and offend none. This is a tricky business in India, a country with an astonishing variety of culture and thought. Our biggest celebrities—Bollywood stars or cricketers—find it safest and most-profitable to speak in the most all-encompassing terms: love this movie, love this sport, love this country.<br />
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There are no Kaepernicks.<br />
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For Indian athletes, international sport unites otherwise-divided Indians under the same flag, instilling a feeling of patriotism. But patriotism is only a step away from its toxic cousin, nationalism, and the guise of nationalism has allowed Indian athletes to pledge unquestioning loyalty to the country, to equate loving India to loving its flawed governments.<br />
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*** <br />
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For the NBA, India isn’t China. It isn’t a make-or-break market, one which, if lost, would cost the league billions, make teams adjust their salary cap, or make a considerable scratch on endorsement opportunities for players.<br />
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India is also not at the level of China for the American public in terms of their international relationship. China is a trade foe and an economic superpower holding the USA’s largest foreign debt. More American companies conduct direct business with China and Hong Kong, and there is more direct concern among Americans about China’s actions within and outside the mainland.<br />
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But India is growing, with ambitions to be the next biggest thing. A few weeks before the NBA India Games, US-India relations took an unexpected new step. At a reception for Prime Minster Narendra Modi in Houston, Trump jokingly suggested in front of the thousands gathered that he could show up in Mumbai for the historic preseason games. A couple of world leaders had used the NBA’s moment to inflate each other.<br />
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Trump never made that last-minute visit, of course. But during the course of the second Kings-Pacers game in Mumbai, Modi tweeted about the NBA India games, noting that the matches would “set the court for greater linkages in sports” between India and the USA. Over 50 million Twitter followers got the message.<br />
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But, like China, India is in the midst of serious domestic turmoil, issues that threaten our democracy. The abrogation of Article 370 and the follow-up shut-down of communication in Kashmir, lockdown of minors, and overall treatment of minority communities have put the spotlight on Modi’s government and their own missteps.<br />
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The Kashmir situation along with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue, unchecked violence, and suppression of liberal voices have created a dictatorial atmosphere. Union Home Minister Amit Shah even argued that India should have a different standard of human rights than the West. It isn’t quite China communism—but it’s certainly inspired by it.<br />
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Back to the press conference before the first NBA game in India. Ranadive, another vocal champion for liberal causes in his adopted country, said to the media that he had spoken to Modi about infrastructure and basketball arenas in India.<br />
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Imagine if this event had happened after “Moreygate”. What if, at that moment, someone had asked Ranadive or Silver about their stance on Kashmir? About human rights violation in India under Modi’s watch? The NBA would likely deflect that question diplomatically, but the issue would persist.<br />
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Much of the NBA’s business in India is done in conjunction with and the sponsorship of Reliance Foundation, the charity arm of Reliance Industries Limited. The game on the night of the press conference was officially titled “NBA India Games for Reliance Foundation ESA [Education and Sports for All]”. Reliance and its chairman Mukesh Ambani—India’s richest individual—have close ties with the government. Any political turn by NBA in India would create further complications in this relationship. For the NBA, it would be too risky to lose the country’s most lucrative partnership.<br />
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*** <br />
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The new NBA season began at the end of October, bringing the focus back on basketball itself. On stars like Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, and LeBron James, too. Basketball, for the fans of the sport globally, took centre-stage again.<br />
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But even if the tensions between the NBA and China simmer down, it is unlikely that they will vanish. The two sides are star-crossed lovers with opposing ideals. China loves the NBA and its product; NBA loves China’s fan-base and financial potential. But with one tweet, the ideological fissures between the progressive league and the undemocratic government have been revealed and widened. There is no going back now.<br />
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It is, of course, grossly unfair to expect professionals who play and think about sports for a living to be the beacon on serious political world issues. But the NBA built its reputation as a league outspoken on issues outside the basketball court. So, even if the questions are completely out of bounds, many have looked upon the same players, coaches, and GMs to have strong opinions on foreign affairs like they have had on their domestic issues.<br />
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While it’s easy to point fingers at public figures in the NBA, the truth is that, in this complicated world where everyone relies on everyone else, we are all guilty of overlooking certain factors as and when they fit our convenience. We have all contributed and benefited from the domestic and international economy, even when we may disagree with certain domestic and international policies.<br />
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In the future, NBA could potentially have a problem with India, just like every corporation could have a problem with every nation. Is it right to support American products like NBA when the Trump administration is caging children at the borders? Is it wrong to use China-made mobile phones when the nation is suppressing the rights of their Uighur, Tibetan, and other minorities? Is it bad to go on day by day in India without calling out the atrocities of our own government in Kashmir?<br />
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With the announcements in India on the same day as Morey’s tweets, the NBA clearly envisions bigger things in the future for its presence in India. But, will the recent China controversy change things?<br />
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Morey’s tweet is only the tip of the iceberg, the root of a bigger problem. The NBA will have to come up with a consistent policy to support its ideals, and not allow China to force its own worldview upon the league. Corporations around the world will be watching closely for NBA’s response over the next few months: the influence of the billion-plus citizens of China—and a billion more from India—will depend on it.</div>
KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3174899807377140388.post-59712721336695169262019-10-29T14:55:00.001+05:302019-10-29T14:55:37.318+05:30Hoopdarshan Episode 86: 2019-20 NBA Season Preview with Nakul Yadav<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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NBA is back with perhaps the most wide-open season in years. And in this post-NBA India Games era, <b><i>Hoopdarshan</i></b> goes back to doing what we do best: predicting the unpredictable. With the help of NBA India's creative director <b>Nakul Yadav</b>, co-hosts <b>Kaushik Lakshman</b> and <b>Karan Madhok</b> talk about the favourites, the lamest, the Lakers, the Clippers, the changes, the MVPs and everything else in between. <br />
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Episode 86 also includes Kaushik and Karan taking an unccessarily deep dive into Indianised NBA games, from Steph Curry's type of curry to the best chai you can find with Gilgeous-Alexander <br />
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<a href="http://hoopistani.blogspot.in/2015/03/introducing-hoopdarshan-first-podcast.html">Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball</a>, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.<br />
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KARAN MADHOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481364637017160507noreply@blogger.com5