Satnam Singh became the first Indian-born player in NBA history to be drafted when the Dallas Mavericks selected him with the 52nd overall pick in the second round of the 2015 NBA draft. Since he was chosen, the 7’2″ Singh has spent most of his time in the NBA’s D-League with the Texas Legends.
Satnam Singh’s time in the NBA developmental league has not been very beneficial to his career. His averages are well below that of a difference maker in the league. So far, the NBA experience has been less than ideal for his career. Despite his low numbers, Satnam does have some skills. He can play in the post, has a nice little jumpshot and protects the rim. His skills are still very raw though and need a ton of fine tuning.
Singh recently debuted his Netflix documentary ‘One in a Billion,’ telling the story of his journey from India to IMG Academy and then to the NBA.
One In A Billion Trailer from OBB Pictures on Vimeo.
So there is some buzz around Satnam, and his name is obviously one that brings a lot of praise. He’s a trailblazer in the Indian sports scene and all signs show he wants to make a difference for himself and his community.
The NBA journey to this point, two seasons in, has not worked yet. He hasn’t played NBA minutes yet so it might be time for a plan B and that backup plan might be away from hoops.
Instead of looking to play basketball overseas, Singh has been spotted at the WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The place where new talent comes to learn and signed talent goes to either rehab from an injury or simply train. He was joined by American Ninja Warrior sensation Kacy Catanzaro and New Orleans Saints linebacker Kasim Edebali in the training session.
The WWE posted the following video on their website and Facebook page.
It is smart for Singh to get a backup plan in mind, especially one that could change his life like the WWE. Despite the criticisms of the sport being fake or having predetermined outcomes, the possibilities of having a long, successful career in the WWE are there.
Immediately all comparisons look towards former WWE Champion, The Great Khali. He was the first wrestler of Indian descent to be signed by the company, but he started off in their feeder program, Deep South Wrestling. He quickly moved up the ranks, and his debut appearance saw him attack WWE legend, The Undertaker. From there, he recorded a run as the WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion, and he saw himself in the main event picture for almost five years before becoming somewhat of a comedy act and a jobber, or a wrestler who loses to make their opponents look stronger before he left the company in 2014.
The WWE does have two other wreslters on the roster from Indian. The Bollywood Boyz – Harv and Gurv Sihra – on the 205 Live roster but they are far from becoming top mainstream talent yet. Singh stands 7’2″ and it’s hard not picturing him being one of the classic monsters that the company tends to love. From Andre the Giant, Kevin Nash, The Big Show and even other talent that weren’t quite as successful like Nathan Jones or Giant Gonzales. There is a market for simply just a huge guy, especially one with international ties.
Singh’s advantages over Khali are primarily centered around his age. He’s only 21 years old, and the fact that the WWE already had him in for a workout could speak positively for his standing within the WWE’s brass. If his time with the NBA doesn’t work out, Singh could quickly come to the WWE and be the face the company needs to increase their presence in India, a market that has not been adequately tapped in professional wrestling. If he works at it for a couple of years and being the athlete he is, for his size, and already knowing how to speak English pretty well, the transition could be seamless.
