‘Basketball: a matter of the heart, not height’

Playing basketball is not a tall order, not even for those who aren't blessed with a good height. That was the message for aspiring sportsemen from National Basketball Association (NBA) star Brandon Jennings. He was in the city as part of NBA's efforts to promote the game in India. The Milwaukee Bucks point guard conducted an extensive sports training camp at the PYC Hindu Gymkhana on Tuesday.

"The basic idea is to help youngsters, in the 10-12 years age group, learn the nuances of basketball. While fitness is an important issue, it can be developed with the right diet and workout regime. The love for the game and the ability to play it is what we are concentrating on," said Jennings, best known for scoring 55 points in one game against the Golden State Warriors. "Height is not an important factor to play basketball. I come from a country where we have players who are seven feet and above. What makes it easier for shorter players like me is that we have greater speed and agility. It is easier to run through players. You don't really need to be very tall to play the game. All you need is a big heart," he said.

Joining the likes of Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett, who have visited the country, Jennings said the NBA draft pick is not as exciting now with the new rules that mandate high school players to play for college first and then join the NBA. "That was a reason why I played in Italy. I got a chance to play in the Europe League which is the next big thing after NBA." Speaking on India's chances of becoming a formidable basketball team, Jennings said, "The most important thing is that children are very enthusiastic about learning the game. During a training session in Mumbai, I noticed serious potential in the kids to make it to the NBA. In the next five years we can look at an Indian youngster playing there."

... contd.

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