It is still eight months to go before Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings arrive and become the first NBA teams to play in India.
However, the buzz has already begun of their maiden tour, at least at the home turf of the Pacers — Indianapolis.
Vivek Ranadive-owned Sacramento Kings will take on the Indiana Pacers in Mumbai in back-to-back games to be played on October 4-5 later this year.
Basketball fans in India will get to witness a competitive game along with the razzmatazz associated with the high-profile and the most sought after basketball league of the world.
"I am sure they (Indian fans) are excited to see NBA basketball," said Pacers coach Nate McMillan prior to their important game ahead of Milwaukee Bucks, which they lost 106-97 at the full house of Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday.
"For our guys — we have travelled to different countries. They have gone over and played hard. Not something going over and that our guys won't be participating as there will be healthy plan at high level. We want to try to draw the fans in India to watch it. Be a fan of NBA basketball. We plan to come over and have fun. But, be entertaining."
McMillan said the game will be competitive and not just an exhibition tie.
"We do know and have started to prepare for travelling over to India. The practices that we will have, the venue where we will play, number of days we will be in India. It will be like a training camp," said McMillan.
"That is going to be important for us. That even when we are there in India, we are getting ready to work for our NBA regular season. We get to start a few days earlier than most of the teams. It is an important time for us," the coach added.
And the pacers will be fielding their best team, too. "Most likely, we plan our starters. It's going to be somewhere like a regular season. And pre season what we do, normally play our starters half the game. All of our guys we normally try to get into the game. I think that be in the first game for us," said McMillan.
From an administrator point of view, Rick Fuson, the Indiana Pacers' president and COO, said it means a lot.
"Yes, means a lot to me and everybody. I have been working with my owner and NBA for over three years. I started working with Mr Randive (owner of Sacremento Kings). Thought it would be a good idea of playing with each other. We are excited to be part of first NBA game in India," he said.
Fuson hopes that the Indians would love NBA once it reaches there.
"As I have done my research in India, the first time it was played in 1930. Basketball is widespread game in India. Many of them have knowledge of basketball. If you would went to other places they won't have the kind of knowledge the Indian shave. India has a good history and old one," he said.
Fuson said that basketball can create its own place in the crowded sports market dominated by cricket in the country.
"I like the game of cricket, got a little bit of knowledge. There are different people in our world, who like different things. In Indiana, NFL, soccer team, baseball, basketball teams, just in our area there are 2 million people. Hopefully there will be thousands of basketball fans in India," he said with a smile.
Twenty-two-year-old Myles Turner, who plays in the centre for the Pacers, too is excited to be part of the October tour. "Excited about the new culture I've never been to before. I have heard great things. Talk to people and sense their culture."
Milwaukee Bucks’s Giannis Antetokounmpo became the first player to record a triple-double with 33 or more points as his team rallied to beat Indiana Pacers at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday. Having been 10 points down in the fourth quarter, Bucks’s continued their six-match winning streak, winning the game 106-97 in a thrilling game.