The first-ever pre-season NBA games scheduled to be played in India at the NSCI indoor stadium here later this year will provide a thrilling experience for the country's basketball fans, said NBA star Harrison Barnes on Tuesday.
The NBA has scheduled two pre-season NBA games on October 4 and 5 in the city between Barnes' team Sacramento Kings, owned by India-born business tycoon Vivek Ranadive, and the Indiana Pacers as part of their ongoing endeavour to make the world-renowned basketball league popular in the country.
"So far the visit (to India) has been great. I am looking forward to coming back to be part of the team (in the pre season NBA games). I want to let them (Indian fans) see the energy and intensity of the game itself, in person," the 26-year-old Iowa-born Barnes told reporters here during his first visit to the country.
"I have just been around the kids (young basketball players). They are going to be happy and excited to see the game in person. That will be a great experience," said Barnes who is on a visit to Delhi and Mumbai.
He has already attended the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA National Finals at The NBA Academy India in Delhi.
"This is not the end of the story, making the India team (to take part in a NBA event in Orlando, USA). Love of the game should be the most important thing," is the message Barnes wanted to drive home to the younger lot of hoopsters, including in India.
Barnes, a winner of the coveted NBA crown in the past with Golden State Warriors in 2015, is set to return to the capital to witness the National Finals of the fourth ACG-NBA Jump, India's national basketball talent search programme which is scheduled on May 3.
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Having played such pre-season NBA games in the past in China, Barnes said the response there was "good".
"There was plenty of passion. They were excited," said the 6-foot-8-inch forward who had won the gold medal as part of the USA team in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
"I have had a great time with these guys (teammates in Sacramento). It is an opportunity to continue to grow and develop some of them who are 18, 19, 20-years old," he remarked about his experience with his new NBA franchise.
The experience of representing his country in the world's biggest stage -the Olympic Games still thrills Barnes who made the NBA draft pick in 2012.
"Olympics were a great experience. It was humbling. It was a different type of experience," said Barnes who played for GSW from 2012-2016 before switching over to Dallas Mavericks and then to his current team, Sacramento Kings.
"The opportunity to represent your country in the world's biggest stage was really big," said Barnes who also relished the chance to watch the world's sprint superstar Usain Bolt scorch the track for the last time in his glittering career on his way to retaining the 100m gold in Rio.
"I had a chance to see Usain Bolt (of Jamaica) live. We split up - me and Klay Thompson (of GSW) went to see Bolt and some others (in the US basketball team) went to see (swimming legend) Michael Phelps (also of US)," he recalled.
He welcomed the addition of 3/3 basketball to the Olympic programme next year at Tokyo.
"It is great for basketball, to enable young kids to learn. Basketball is a great game in all its versions. That will be the goal that it (3/3) takes on a life of its own," he declared.
He laughed when asked whether he will also welcome beach basketball to follow in the footsteps of beach volleyball.
"Maybe, see there are lots of different things you can do," he said.
Barnes follows other sports too athletics, soccer (football) and tennis, he declared.
"I am a soccer fan, a Barcelona fan. I follow that. I watch anything - track, tennis. (Rafael) Nadal is my favourite in tennis. I don't know why, (perhaps) because of the energy and passion he shows," he concluded.