November 25, 2017
(A former posting of this episode had an error, which is now fixed, sorry for the error) The NBA has made ambitious inroads in India over the last few years, from the elite level like the NBA India Academy to the grassroots like the Reliance Jr. NBA programme. To discuss this, NBA India's Managing Director Yannick Colaco joined Hoopdarshan in Episode 55, where we also spoke about Kevin Durant's recent India trip, NBA's broadcasting and social media growth in India, and future development programmes in the horizon.
October 22, 2017
This week, India will host the FIBA U16 Women's Asia Championship in Bengaluru. To preview the tournament for the home team, Hoopdarshan invited India's head coach, Zoran Visic, for an illuminating conversation. Visic spoke about India's preparation, our biggest challengers, lessons from coaching India's Senior Women's team, and coping without Serbian food in India.
October 8, 2017
With the new season on the brink, Hoopdarshan is back with a lengthy discussion on All Things NBA. In Episode 53, co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok are joined by Vince Granata to give thoughts, predictions, and flaming hot takes on the Warriors' chance of a repeat, the future of new-look Cavs and Celtics in the East, player movement, around the league, and a Laker family of Balls.
September 13, 2017
Last month, India sent a stacked roster to the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon but returned disappointed, losing all three first round games. In Episode 52 of Hoopdarshan, one of India's finest basketball players - Amjyot Singh - joins hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to talk about India's performances at the tournament, evolving his individual game, Satnam Singh's role off the bench, and fired some shots towards Chennai cuisine!
August 5, 2017
India's men's national team will be in Lebanon this week to take part in the prestigious FIBA Asia Cup. To help preview our chances at the tournament, the team's Head Coach and NBA veteran Phil Weber co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok on Hoopdarshan. In an informative and entertaining conversation, Weber discussed the players who have impressed him, shared his concerns with the team's fitness level, and took us back to the NBA where he looked forward to a full season with Davis and Cousins in New Orleans.
July 23, 2017
Hoopdarshan - the Indian Basketball podcast - celebrates their half-century in style. With the FIBA Asia Women's Cup 2017 around the corner, set to be held in India in Bengaluru, hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok are joined by Indian basketball legend and Arjuna Awardee Geethu Anna Rahul. Rahul helped us preview the tournament, talked about her past experiences with Team India, playing pro in Australia, the WNBL, discussed the chances of her comeback to the national team, and much more!
June 30, 2017
There is no offseason. In Episode 49 of Hoopdarshan, hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok anticipate the arrival of Kevin Durant to India as the greatest basketball player to step foot on our soil. Joining us is NBA expert Akshay Manwani, who spoke about KD, the history of every NBA player to ever visit India, his thoughts on the NBA Draft, and more!
June 21, 2017
Last month, 21-year-old Kavita Akula made spectacular news by becoming the first Indian basketball player to win a full NCAA Division 1 scholarship, at the Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Now, as she prepares for her summer role as a star point guard for India at the 2017 FIBA Asia Women's Cup, Akula joins the Hoopdarshan podcast to talk about her scholarship, her improvements from IMG Academy to college ball in the USA, and India's chances at the Asia Cup in Bengaluru next month. In addition, co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok also review the NBA Finals, Kevin Durant's upcoming visit to India, and India's Men's squad at the 2017 BRICS Games.
May 31, 2017
With two of the greatest assemblies of superstar talent set to meet each other at the game's biggest stage, Warriors vs. Cavaliers III is sure to be a classic NBA Finals matchup. Listen to Hoopdarshan's preview, where Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok join guest Adarsh Dalala Rao to talk about LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, lovehating Draymond Green, and why this is set to be the greatest trilogy since the original Star Wars.
May 17, 2017
It's a busy month for basketball, with the NBA Playoffs, Euroleague Final Four, launch of the NBA Academy India, and hoops fever all over the globe. For Episode 26 of Hoopdarshan, Vanja Cernivec - an NBA Operations Specialist currently for the Europe-Middle East-Africa region, joins hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to talk about all types of hoops: coaching in India, China, Spain, closely observing the Euroleague, NBA playoffs, and the rise of her fellow Slovenian prodigy Luka Doncic
