New Delhi;The excitement amongst Basketball enthusiast in India are soaring as the country gear-up to witness first-ever NBA match in the economic capital of India, Mumbai on Friday.
In the first pre-season NBA match in India, Sacramento Kings will take on Indiana Pacers. The match will be played at the Dome, NSCI, SVP Stadium in Mumbai.
This will be the first time that teams from a North American sports league will play in India.
The Kings (7) and Pacers (7) have played a combined of 14 NBA matches outside North America heading into The NBA India Games 2019.
Earlier today, it was revealed that Nita Ambani, the chairperson of Reliance Foundation, will be presenting the ceremonial 'Match Ball' to NBA officials on October 4, ahead of NBA game between Indiana Pacers vs Sacramento Kings in India.
The match ball handover will be a mark of welcoming the sport to India as the first-ever NBA game will be played in the country.
Youtube sensation Bhuvan Bam will be singing the National Anthem at the event, which will be the first time that an NBA event will witness India's national anthem.
Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "Tomorrow's a big day for me. I'll be singing the National Anthem at the first-ever NBA games happening in Mumbai. This will be the first time the Indian national anthem is being sung at the games. Excited and filled with joy, Jai Hind".
It was in May 2017 that The NBA Academy opened up in New Delhi. It features a basketball training center and looks to train top players throughout India.
The NBA India Games 2019 will reach fans in more than 200 countries via television, digital and social media.
The NBA tournament caught the nation's attention when during the 'Howdy Modi' event at Houston, US President Donald Trump hinted that he might visit India to witness India's first NBA game.
Trump while addressing the 'Howdy Modi!' event said, "Very soon India will have to access another world-class American product - NBA basketball. Wow, sounds good. Next week thousands in Mumbai will watch the first-ever NBA game in India..am I invited, Mr. Prime Minister? I may come, be careful I may come."
National Basketball Association (NBA) India on September 12 announced that the first-ever NBA game in the country will be organised in October in Mumbai.
Trump made the remarks at NRG Stadium which had hosted the first of its kind event in honour of Modi, who was on a week-long official trip to the United States to address the UN General Assembly, amongst other official engagements.