Has the NBA Found its Next Yao Ming in India?

*In the village of Ballo Ke, India – Satnam Singh Bhamara stares down at his feet. At size 22, there’s a lot to stare at.

The 14-year-old is already 7 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. To say that he stands out from the other boys in this remote Punjab village, population 463, is like saying that Everest is a rather tall mountain.

After its runaway success in China, the NBA has turned its sights on India. But basketball is not terribly popular here; as one sportswriter says, “genetically, we’re not inclined that way.”

But what if you could find an Indian version of Yao Ming, the 7-foot-6-inch Houston Rocket center who jumpstarted the Chinese game? His signing led to lucrative broadcasting and sponsorship deals, skyrocketing apparel sales and millions more fans.