New Mexico State center Sim Bhullar signed a contract with the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Terms of the contract were not revealed.
Bhullar was born in Toronto, Ontario. He and the Kings have made MBA history with this signing. Bhullar is of Indian descent and he is the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA team, according to the Sacramento Bee.
''I've long believed that India is the next great frontier for the NBA, and adding a talented player like Sim only underscores the exponential growth basketball has experienced in that nation,'' Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said. ''While Sim is the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA franchise, he represents one of many that will emerge from that region as the game continues to garner more attention and generate ever-increasing passion among a new generation of Indian fans.''
While Bhullar has just made history, Ranadive has also made some history. Ranadive is the NBA’s first Indian-born majority owner.
Bhullar played for New Mexico State for two seasons. He averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in those two seasons, according to the Associated Press. Two times he earned the Western Conference tournament MVP honors. He also led New Mexico State to two consecutive NCAA tournaments.
This summer Bhullar was part of the Kings team that won the NBA summer league tournament. He will compete for a spot behind DeMarcus Cousins. He could also be eligible to join the King’s NBA Development League affiliate in Reno, Nevada.