NBA's Rajah Chaudhry on embedding basketball into India’s cultural DNA

India has long been a cricket-first nation, with the sport shaping sponsorships, brand playbooks, and cultural currency. In such a landscape, introducing basketball without a legacy, infrastructure, or mass exposure was always going to be a challenge.

When the NBA entered the Indian market in 2011, it did so against a backdrop of low visibility and a fragmented ecosystem of support.

Over the past decade, however, NBA India has steadily worked to turn that tide. At the heart of this effort is Rajah Chaudhry, Head of Strategy, NBA Asia, and Country Head, NBA India, who has helped steer the league’s shift toward accessibility, cultural integration, and youth engagement.

More than ten years in, Chaudhry believes the game is gaining ground.

“Since entering the Indian market in 2011, we’ve seen encouraging growth in basketball’s popularity and a deeper connection with our fanbase. From grassroots development to expanding access to NBA games and creating authentic fan experiences, our efforts remain focused on growing the game and staying attuned to what fans want,” said Chaudhry.

An inflection point

A key moment that significantly boosted the NBA’s visibility in India came in 2019, when the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers faced off in Mumbai for the first-ever NBA games on Indian soil.

“A major milestone came in 2019 with the NBA India Games, which brought live NBA action to Indian audiences and helped elevate awareness nationwide,” Chaudhry recalled.

While the event marked a historic breakthrough, replicating that kind of large-scale live spectacle remains a challenge due to infrastructure gaps.

“It’s something we’ll revisit in the coming years, particularly as the arena infrastructure in India hopefully improves,” he added.

In the meantime, the league is leveraging regional opportunities, such as preseason games in Abu Dhabi, to maintain its visibility and momentum in the market. 

With in-person games limited, NBA India turned its focus to where Indian fandom thrives most, online.

The digital court

NBA India has doubled down on a digital-first strategy to connect with fans. Today, the league has more than 6.5 million followers across digital platforms in India. Its approach blends live content, culturally resonant storytelling, and lifestyle-driven campaigns.

“This season, fans in India could watch games live and free on YouTube, and beginning next season, Prime Video will stream a slate of marquee matchups, bringing the league even closer to fans across the country,” said Chaudhry.

However, beyond live broadcasts, it’s the NBA’s content ecosystem that has been most instrumental in creating buzz.

‘Hoop Nation’, a lyrical docuseries launched in partnership with Skechers, is now in its second season. The series brings local basketball stories to life, highlighting underrepresented voices, personal journeys, and the growing role of basketball in India.

To further widen its reach, NBA India has strategically aligned with cultural icons who bring basketball into lifestyle conversations.

Take AP Dhillon, the global Punjabi music sensation and lifelong basketball fan. His participation in the 2025 Ruffles® NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, coupled with a local digital campaign rooted in music and fashion, helped the league tap into a youth audience beyond the traditional sports bracket.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NBA Style (@nbastyle_in)

Chaudhry said, “Our collaboration with AP Dhillon, a global music artist and lifelong basketball fan, allowed us to engage Indian audiences through a cultural lens. From his participation in the 2025 Ruffles® NBA All-Star Celebrity Game to leading a local digital campaign rooted in music, fashion, and hoops culture, the association helped us tap into a new generation of fans.”

Another major cultural win was the league’s partnership with Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, who became NBA India’s brand ambassador in 2021.

Chaudhry said, “Ranveer Singh brought basketball into mainstream pop culture and helped expand the league’s reach beyond core sports fans. A true style icon and a dedicated NBA fan, Ranveer has been the perfect advocate to create awareness around basketball and the NBA, amplify our local activities and engage with fans in a meaningful way to help grow our community in India.”

The campaign brought Singh’s signature energy and fandom to the forefront, using his influence to introduce basketball to non-traditional audiences and make it aspirational. His involvement helped amplify NBA content across platforms, bridging the worlds of cinema, fashion, and sport.

At the same time, the NBA has used its platform to signal purpose. Its ‘Nets for Change’ campaign, which transforms discarded fishing nets into basketball courts, combines sustainability with sport in a powerful way.

The campaign received international acclaim, including recognition at Cannes Lions.

Chaudhry said, “And as we grow, we’re keeping purpose at the center of what we do. Through initiatives like ‘Nets for Change’, we’re combining sustainability, sport, and social impact. The campaign reflects our belief that basketball can drive real change both on and off the court.”

NBA India’s immersive fan experience

This June, NBA India introduced the first-ever BUDX NBA House in Mumbai. Positioned at the intersection of basketball, music, and fashion, the event was a live, immersive extension of the NBA Style platform, and a bold statement of intent.

“With support from our partners Budweiser, Emirates, Brand USA, and Visit California, we brought together NBA champions Gary Payton and Derek Fisher, a 3v3 celebrity game, live performances, streetwear showcases, and immersive fan activations, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for fans from across the country,” said Chaudhry.

For Chaudhry, the choice of location was no accident. “As the country’s cultural and entertainment capital,and home to a diverse, youth-driven audience with a deep passion for music, fashion, and sport, Mumbai offered the perfect stage for the first-ever BUDX NBA House.”

It also marked a pivot in how NBA India is redefining live sports experiences, from traditional game-day activations to immersive fan-first environments. BUDX NBA House wasn’t just about the hardwood; it was about creating a space where fans could express themselves, connect with the community, and engage with basketball in new ways.

“We see it as the beginning of something bigger: a step toward embedding basketball into India’s cultural DNA,” said Chaudhry.

Grassroots as a growth engine

Beyond digital content and pop culture, NBA India has placed significant focus on nurturing talent at the grassroots level. 

“Grassroots programs continue to be a cornerstone of our efforts, with our ACG Jr. NBA program reaching over 15 million youth and 15,000 physical education teachers across 35 cities, and our NBA Basketball School network growing to 66 programs across 13 cities.”

It’s not just about building future athletes but about instilling a sporting culture from the ground up. 

While development programs lay the foundation, NBA India is also building surface-level touchpoints like fashion and lifestyle, to deepen affinity.

NBA India’s merch play

NBA India is steadily building a merchandise ecosystem that mirrors the league’s growing cultural relevance in the country. With a mix of global brand collaborations and local partnerships, its approach has been to fuse accessibility with aspiration.

“We’ve built a strong network of strategic collaborations to expand our reach and deliver high-quality, authentic NBA products to fans in India,” said Chaudhry.

A pivotal move came with the launch of NBAStore.in in partnership with Bhaane, bringing a curated catalogue of official league merchandise to Indian fans. This was followed by the introduction of NBA Style India in 2021, a fashion-led initiative that positioned the league beyond just sportswear. The expansion of NBA’s tie-up with Suditi for licensed fanwear has further added to its retail presence.

Chaudhry noted that the brand’s strategy combines “global partnerships with a focus on identifying the right local partners,” citing names like Nike, Decathlon, New Era, Bhaane, and Suditi. The result has been a wider product mix that caters to varying budgets and preferences.

He said, “This strategy is delivering strong results, merchandise sales on NBAStore.in have grown approximately 2.5x over last season, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls driving demand. These results reflect not just growing fandom, but a lifestyle connection with the league that goes beyond the court.”

Building for the long game

While the road to embedding basketball in India’s cultural DNA is still long, NBA India’s strategy is patient and layered, focused on youth engagement, authentic storytelling, cultural resonance, and accessibility.

“India is steadily evolving into a multi-sport nation, and we’re seeing strong momentum with more kids engaging in basketball than ever before,” concluded Chaudhry. “We’re encouraged by the momentum and remain focused on building long-term engagement with fans across India.”