Pau Gasol pays a visit to India as NBA Ambassador
In three years, for the first time, the Lakers forward, the all star Pau Gasol in lakers jersey doesn’t play for Spain, he will pay a visit to Mumbai and New Delhi next week to further the growth of basketball and the NBA in the world's second-largest nation.
He's working out with a trainer twice a day, quietly preparing for the Lakers' upcoming season and fulfilling a longtime desire next week by visiting India for the NBA to increase its brand, and the game of basketball, in the world's second-most-populated nation.
Gasol in lakers jerseys had a busy summer two years ago when Spain finished second to the U.S. at the Beijing Olympics, and he was the tournament MVP last September with Spain in the European Championship. But his body appeared to wear down early last season with the Lakers, when he sat out 17 games because of two hamstring injuries, a contributing factor in his decision to sit out the World Championship, which begins in Turkey at the end of the month.
This is the first time a reigning NBA champion will travel to India to conduct events on the NBA's behalf. The league is in the midst of hosting a record number of events in India this summer. Gasol in los angeles lakers jersey, a member of the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, is the second NBA superstar in james worthy jersey to visit India this month following Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard's visit to Bangalore and Delhi August 10 to 14.
"I have always wanted to visit India and I am very excited to represent the Lakers and the NBA in a country where basketball is on the rise," said Gasol in kobe bryant jersey, who would be visiting India from August 23 to 28. "As an international player in dennis rodman jersey in the NBA, I know how important it is to do my part to grow the game globally and would love to compete against a player from India in the NBA one day."
Gasol in jerry west jersey will make appearances with the Larry O'Brien Trophy to take photos with fans in Mumbai and Delhi. This will be the first time that the trophy will be in India. He will also conduct clinics in Mumbai on August 26 for participants in byron scott jersey of the Mahindra NBA Challenge, the league's first community-based basketball league in India, which tipped off in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Ludhiana this summer and attracted thousands of participants, including top players from each city.
Gasol in magic johnson jersey will also conduct an NBA Cares clinic on August 28 in Delhi at the Father Angel School in Gautam Nagar, a missionary school that serves underprivileged communities. NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility platform and these clinics will continue the NBA's commitment to using the sport of basketball to engage communities and promote healthy, active lifestyles.
The relationship between India and the NBA really started to gain momentum four years ago, when the current Basketball Federation of India (BFI) Secretary-general Harish Sharma went into an agreement with the NBA to promote basketball in India. It was around that summer of 2006 that a certain Minnesota Timberwolf, Kevin Garnett, made a low-key visit to the Indian shores.
