February 4, 2020
Hoopdarshan pays its tributes to the late great black mamba, as they talk about reactions to receiving news of Kobe Bryant's passing before moving on to Episode 88 that was recorded days before the tragedy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the latest episode of the Indian basketball podcast Hoopdarshan, we welcome Norman Swaroop Isaac, India's own FIBA Technical Delegate and Commissioner who has officiated high-level international matches for decades, including the recent FIBA World Cup Final. Isaac speaks to co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok about working a big event like the World Cup, the evolution of international basketball officiating over the years, how to improve the status of Indian basketball, and his own playing days for Andhra Pradesh.
December 21, 2019
Join Hoopdarshan in a double-sided bonanza episode, where we wave goodbye to the 2010s by discussing the best of the last ten years. In Part 1, we are joined by Indian basketball writer Gopalakrishnan R. (Ekalavyas) to create India's Men and Women's All-Decade teams. In Part 2, we welcome NBA India expert Akshay Manwani to debate our All-Decade starting fives. It's peak Hoopdarshan, straddling a foot in each of our favourite hooping worlds.
October 29, 2019
NBA is back with perhaps the most wide-open season in years. And in this post-NBA India Games era, Hoopdarshan goes back to doing what we do best: predicting the unpredictable. With the help of NBA India's creative director Nakul Yadav, co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok talk about the favourites, the lamest, the Lakers, the Clippers, the changes, the MVPs and everything else in between.
October 16, 2019
Welcome to the biggest Hoopdarshan yet, literally, figuratively, metaphorically. Episode 85 is dedicated to the historic NBA India Games in Mumbai. In this jam-packed release, we include interviews with Vivek Ranadive, Jason Williams, Rajesh Sethi, Vanja Cernivec, Diane Gotua, Detlef Schrempf, Domantas Sabonis, Akshay Manwani, and Ridhima Pathak. In addition, Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok discuss the experience of the games in Mumbai first-hand and offer their thoughts on the ongoing NBA-China-Morey controversy.
September 27, 2019
On October 4-5, the basketball story in India will take a massive leap with the historic, first-ever NBA India Games: two preaseason matches between the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings in Mumbai. Hoopdarshan is of course here to break it all down: Co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok welcome NBA India's Content Producer Yash Matange to talk about the lead-up to this event, the two participating teams, off-court events, all the India/Hindi connections, and much more.
September 23, 2019
On the eve of the 2019 FIBA Asia Women's Cup in Bengaluru, India's star player Jeena Scaria joins us on Hoopdarshan. In an interview with co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok, Scaria tells us about India's strategy in the tougher Division A of the tournament, the top players to watch out for, and playing pro in Australia - an experience that changed her life both on and off the court.
August 12, 2019
The top player in Indian Basketball - Amjyot Singh - joins Hoopdarshan in Episode 82 to discuss his suspension from India's national team, his experiences playing in the NBA G-League, taking part in the 3x3BL in Punjab this season, and rating Gurudwara langar food. In addition, co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok catch up on all the happenings from the Indian basketball universe.
August 1, 2019
In Episode 81 of Hoopdarshan, actor, producer and NBA anchor Harman Singha joins on Hoopdarshan to discuss his latest brainchild: Mumbai's 3x3 Street Ball League. Singha discusses the conception of the league with celebrity co-hosts, his brother Rannvijay Singha's basketball skills, his background loving the NBA, and the best food to eat in Jalandhar.
July 21, 2019
Hoopdarshan's 80th episode is going to be a long, emotional journey, highlighted with an interview with India's new national team coach, Veselin Matic of Serbia. Matic discusses his plans for Team India going forward, his adjustment in the country so far, and how he hopes to bring a change to Indian basketball. Furthermore, co-hosts Kaushik Lakhsman and Karan Madhok discuss the frantic NBA Free Agency as well as Marathi basketball movie 'Ajinkya'.
June 23, 2019
Episode 79 of Hoopdarshan accomplishes two agendas: our reaction to the Toronto Raptors becoming the weirdest NBA champions in years... and the rise of 3x3 basketball in India. Co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok are joined by India's top-ranked FIBA 3x3 player Dhruv Barman who tells us about his unlikely journey into a basketball career and why India's 3x3 can make waves at the Olympics.
