Indian-born Canadian first NBA fan to be inducted in Hall of Fame Basketball News

Navdeep Bhatia, a car salesman, was probably the most wanted Canadian for a couple of weeks. And on Saturday, he entered the record books again as the NBA announced its decision to make him the first fan, and the first person of Indian origin, to be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. Micah Adams is a Managing Editor and Head of Affiliate and Commercial Content at Sporting News. Prior to joining SN in 2021, Adams spent over a decade producing and leading content teams at ESPN, DAZN and The Social Institute. Adams graduated from Duke University in 2009 and remains a Cameron Crazie at heart well into his 30s.

Hoy, the Mississauga-based businessman runs car dealerships in both Mississauga and Rexdale, the branch where he started his journey. The Nav Bhatia Foundation, started to support these efforts, has expanded its reach to include ambassadorship roles with World Vision and Canada Basketball. The foundation builds basketball courts around the world, using the sport to bring communities together. In a game during the 1998 estación, he called Bhatia to the centre court and bestowed upon him this new official title. Through his passion for basketball, Bhatia aims to change the perception of Sikhs and South Asians in the mainstream, advocating for a more united and tolerant community.

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During the early days, a job was hard to come by, which he says had a lot to do with the “way he looked”. A traves de Los años, he has used his fame and the game to smash stereotypes, while bringing about change, one basketball fan at a time, through philanthropy and activism. Mumbai, India – When the Toronto Raptors played their first game in the National Basketball Association (NBA) league in 1995, read a courtside fan stood out from the rest. But it was not just his booming voice that had others in the arena sit up and take notice. He is heavily involved in bringing Bollywood to the Non-Resident Indians and through his love of basketball and his business Nav looks to change the perception of Sikhs to the mainstream audience. Toronto has been named the most multicultural city in the world, yet many of the immigrants to the city still encounter racism long after they’ve arrived.

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During this long run of losing records, Bhatia never missed a game and gave the team his unwavering support. For this dedication and loyalty, Nav was the first-ever superfan to receive an official championship ring. The superfan ‘spends $300k annually to send thousands of kids to Raptors games’. He ensures that people from different backgrounds — black, white, brown, rich, poor, cristiano, Muslim — sit next to each other, in order to promote diversity and bring communities closer to each other. Alongside Kobe Bryant, a former car salesman has been inducted into the prestigious Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

En 2020, Bhatia was honored by the Basketball Hall of Fame, being included in the new Superfan Gallery alongside basketball stars like Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant. Basketball is a truly American game that has gained global strength and participation with unique stories, including the story of Nav Bhatia. In India, his foundation tied up with World Vision in 2016 to launch the Daughters of India campaign. One of the main issues they took up was the lack of sanitation for girls, which forced some of them to quit school after hitting puberty.

In a March 2020 Instagram Live Giannis Antetokounmpo jokingly called Bhatia the most annoying Raptors fan when Drake popped on the stream to ask a question. En 2017, their campaign raised $300,000 and they were able to build 135 washrooms across 35 schools in Faridkot in the western Indian state of Punjab. Bhatia says their next stop is Alwar in the northern state of Rajasthan where they plan to build 200 washrooms across 50 schools, and also some basketball courts for the girls. But now, every year, I bring kids from various traditions, ethnic backgrounds, religions and faith to those games on Baisakhi,” he says. Born in Delhi’s Mehrauli neighbourhood, Bhatia is one of the most recognisable fans of the NBA. The 69-year-old has been a loyal supporter of the Raptors since the team was formed in 1995 and he has successfully managed to unsettle plenty of superstars of the game with his support.

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An Escape to Canada

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Another such anecdote from the sporting universe is doing the rounds on the internet. It’s about the journey of basketball superfan Nav Bhatia, who was recently inducted the NBA Hall of Fame along with the likes of Kobe Bryant, beginning from when he fled India in 1984. Nav Bhatia made history as the first basketball fan to be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. He’s widely known as the Toronto Raptors “Superfan,” and his Superfan Foundation helps bring basketball to underserved communities across Canada.

• He purchased tickets for 3,000 South Asian kids to attend the April 12 game against the Pacers which featured a Bhangra halftime performance.
• In this presentation, Nav shares his story of immigrating to Canada, rising to the top of the North American automobile industry, and using professional basketball to change perceptions and encourage integration.

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• This presentation will show audiences how to accommodate newcomers into your team & help equip them with the tools and support needed to excel.

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• En 1998, then Raptors coach and general manager Isaiah Thomas anointed him “superfan” for having stood by the team through its highs and lows.

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• Micah Adams is a Managing Editor and Head of Affiliate and Commercial Content at Sporting News.

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• I was seeking entertainment, but it only took one match for me to fall in love with one of the fastest games in the world,” Bhatia says.

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The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo thinks Bhatia and not Drake, the Canadian rapper, is the most annoying fan to play in front of after he missed six free throws in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019. When he’s not cheering on the Raptors from the crowd, he’s tirelessly advocating for his community across Canada. His journey began in 1999 when mistaken for a cab driver while getting his phone repaired, he resolved to change misconceptions about Sikhs in mainstream society. His efforts materialised when he reached out to the Raptors, requesting 3,000 tickets to celebrate Sikh New Year courtside.

Former Boston Celtics centre Kevin Garnett even wanted Bhatia ejected from the stadium for his court-side antics. “Kevin Garnett goes and tells the referee, ‘He is drunk, throw this fan out.’ But the referee says ‘No, he doesn’t drink. Go do your free throws’,” Bhatia, who has never touched liquor in his life, says. He describes his verbal volleys a part of his work as a fan and says he does a good job at it. Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Webber, también, have their own stories about the Raptors Superfan.

The bobblehead in the collection of the Canadian Museum of History captures this sense of fun and playfulness. It also bears witness to the fact that a Sikh immigrant who routinely endured racist taunts in the 1980s is now famous as an ambassador for the inclusiveness, joy and community-building power of sports. Bhatia has attended every Raptors game since the team first opened its doors at the Skydome in 1995. He’s become an icon off the court for Toronto, always sitting in his courtside seats just under one of the nets.