TUALATIN, Ore. — The most interesting man in the Portland Trail Blazers practice facility was only 19 years old.
Satnam Singh, at 7-foot-2, is looking to become the first Indian-born player in NBA history and he was one of the six players who competed in Monday’s pre-draft workout.
Singh — who only started playing basketball in 2004 in India before moving to the United States to play at the IMG academy in Florida five years ago — said his favorite player growing up was Kobe Bryant.
Although he listens to his coaches, he credits his five years in the U.S. with helping grow his game.
“Most of my real game, came when I came here,” Singh said. “In India it’s not as good. It’s OK, it’s good, but it’s not like America. In India it’s different. Really, really different. And when I came here then I learned a lot of moves.”
It’s hard to know what to make of Singh because while he has a sculpted 7-foot-2 frame and is light on his feet for that size — he has no major college or international résumé.
But he has said that the NBA — which now has an Indian-born owner in Sacramento’s Vivek Ranadive — has grown in popularity in recent years.
“When I was in India I never heard about the NBA,” Singh said. “When I came here after two years, and then I went back it was amazing. Small kids, I can’t believe, Bombay, Delhi, Punjab, I saw the pictures of small kids playing basketball. I said, ‘seriously?’ “
Singh has been through seven workouts and has hopes of being drafted on Thursday.
Gonzaga guard Gary Bell Jr. was in Tualatin on Friday but was told by his agent on Sunday he would have to come down from his native Seattle for another workout. The other player getting another look from the Blazers was Washington State center and former Beaverton High School graduate Jordan Railey.
“I think it went a little better,” Bell said of Monday compared to Friday. “I played a little better in one-on-one situations. Got to handle the ball a little more in the 3-on-3’s.”
Railey told reporters that he came in for a one-on-one workout against Richaun Holmes, a 6-8 forward from Bowling Green who is projected to go in the second round according to Draft Express.com.
The Blazers do not have a second round pick but owner Paul Allen is no stranger to buying picks on draft night.
Holmes has not been a part of any of Portland’s pre-draft workouts that have been open to the media.
Holmes is an early entry candidate.
Charles Jackson of Tennessee Tech, Darion Atkins of Virginia and Javonte Green of Radford College also participated in Monday’s workout.
The Blazers have the No. 23 pick in the first round of the NBA draft, which will be Thursday night.
