Hailing from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Princepal Singh has scripted history as he became the first Indian ever to lift an NBA trophy in Las Vegas.
Princepal, a six-foot-nine forward, had become only the second Indian after Satnam Singh to become India’s second hoopster to debut in the 2021 Summer League.
Meanwhile, he also became the first Indian to be part of a championship winning team at any level of the NBA.
In the Championship game, Sacramento Kings clinched the 2021 NBA Summer League crown after it outplayed Boston Celtics by 100-67 to win their second title after 2014.
“Lifting a trophy in America is a special feeling for me. This is the first time ever that I have won something in the mecca of basketball. Winning an NBA trophy at any level and becoming the first Indian to do so is like a dream. I still feel that I am living in a dream. I lifted something very precious,” Princepal was quoted as saying by the TOI.
“This was my first and last basket in the Summer League, and this will be the most memorable Pick & Roll shot of my life,” added he.
In the final, Princepal played the last four minutes of the game and finished with two points by scoring the Kings final bucket, which took them to 100 points, while also pulling down a rebound.
Earlier during his debut last week, Princepal had played for the final 1.22 minutes of a Kings’ victory against Washington Wizards.
Meanwhile, after the win in the final, the Kings also became the only franchise to win multiple Summer League titles, having previously winning it in 2014, according to the NBA.