Shotputter-turned-baller Arvinder Singh Kahlon out to become household name in Indian basketball

Arvinder Singh Kahlon is only the third Indian male player to play in Japan after signing with Yamaguchi Patsfive, a team in Japan’s Division B3 League.

It was my first trip to the Senior Nationals in Ludhiana, a city which has a long history of producing the country’s greatest players throughout its history. All thanks to the Ludhiana Basketball Academy, a training center every Indian player dream to train at.

As you pan around the place, you see legends and some of the biggest names of the game casually watching the match unfolding on the court.

It was the finals between Tamil Nadu and Indian Railways, the clash of the biggest teams. While Sahil and Palpreet Singh—two big names in that match—held the fort, an 18-year-old youngster was silently hustling, grabbing rebounds, earning fouls and making an impact.

This kid would keep defense on their toes. He would rescue the point guard Sahil by getting the ball upcourt, he would silently stand behind Palpreet Singh Brar and unleash his weight onto any opponent who tried to get near the rim either for a dunk, lay-up or rebound.

He wasn’t shying away from getting inside and drawing fouls, tire out his opponents by jostling and getting physical down there, just as any big man does.

That was my first introduction to Arvinder Singh Kahlon, a 6’8 forward/center. A product of the famed NBA Academy in Noida, Kahlon shares the same class as Pranav Prince, Princepal Singh and Amaan Sandhu—all now part of the Senior national Indian basketball team.

Arvinder was one of the top prospects in 2019 ACG NBA Jump program. He was also part of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp in the same year.

Kahlon unlike other kids didn’t start early, he picked up the game in his teens—switching from shot put to basketball when his coach Rajinder Singh told his father to send him to Ludhiana Basketball Academy. In just a year, Kahlon was one of the prospects to lookout for which brought him to NBA Academy Noida.

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From Ludhiana to Japan

He is now set to become one of only three Indian male players to feature in the Japanese league, after signing with the Yamaguchi Patsfive in Japan’s Division B3 League.

“It’s a great feeling to be the third player to play in the Japanese League,” Kahlon, who is also the youngest Indian player to play in the league, said. “It all started with Gary Boyson reaching out to me and informing that Yamaguchi were interested in signing me.”

Boyson, an international scout with stints at Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, was at the inaugural INBL showcase league. He was invited by the league to scout players where Kahlon stood out due to his two-way skills.

“I along with Parveen Batish (INBL CEO) and Dean Vickerman (Melbourne United HC) were impressed with his potential at our INBL Combine that we ran in Noida two years ago,” shares Gary. “We tested him extensively in our combine and he also received quality coaching in the INBL. I have been building teams for a long time and Arvinder has the attributes and skills that teams today are interested in.”

As joyful as that was for Kahlon, he still needed an NOC from his employers at Indian Railways to greenlight the move Japan.

Several players, who work in public sector units such as the Indian Railways, State Bank of India, ONGC etc., often face obstructions with leaves and permissions from the department. Fortunately for Kahlon, the department granted a NOC for him to play in Japan while still employed with the Indian Railways, with some help from the national federation.

The 22-year-old will headline the Yamaguchi Patsfive squad alongside two other foreign players from the United States—Bostyn Holt and the highly athletic Freddie McSwain Jr. The team also features key Japanese players like Kazuto Sameshima, Rikiya Yamaguchi, and Shuto Kishinaga.

Also Read: FIBA Asia Cup 2025: Schedule, fixtures, results & live streaming details

In this lineup, Kahlon is expected to play as a stretch big, utilizing his shooting range from beyond the arc while maintaining a dominant presence in the paint. His ability to embrace contact and serve as a connector through his passing making him a versatile weapon.

Arvinder will be joined in Japan by Anmolpreet Kaur, who is a regular for Yamanashi Queenbees in Japan’s top division. “Anmolpreet has been very helpful with her guidance and preparing me for Japan,” said Arvinder, who will travel to Japan after the FIBA Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia and plans to play throughout the season.

On FIBA Asia Cup

Kahlon is confident that a better prepared Indian team will be in action when the competition gets underway on August 5. “You are going to see a very different side of India this time,” he said adding that their preparatory trip to Qatar last month was a successful one.

“We tried something new this time, our focus was a lot more on defense,” said Kahlon. The team seems to have filled all the gaps which had been hindering their progress. The inclusion of the ruthless slayer Sahaij Singh Sekhon, who was out due to deep vein thrombosis injury, is notable.

“I will be playing power forward this time, Palpreet, Amaan and Princepal will play at center,” said Kahlon who was deployed as a small ball center during the final qualifying tournament, where he made his senior team debut. “We want to give out our best for the country and we will defeat Jordan and Saudi Arabia.”

📅 India’s Group Stage Schedule is HERE! 🇮🇳Get ready to back the boys as they take on Asia’s best in Group C at the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 – Saudi Arabia 🏀🔥🇮🇳 India vs Jordan – Aug 5 | 16:30 IST🇮🇳 India vs China – Aug 7 | 13:30 IST🇮🇳 India vs Saudi Arabia – Aug 9 | 20:30 IST… pic.twitter.com/0OXMTpQJjU

— #IndiaBasketball (@BFI_basketball) August 1, 2025

The 6-foot-8-inch forward also shared that the team has focused on improving as a defensive unit, a philosophy that head coach Scott Flemming has instilled in all the players who have come out of the NBA Academy. For him defense should be the primary focus, and the rest will come along.

Arvinder also insists that his chemistry with other players is because they have played together over the years. “I have known some of these guys for years and it is fun to watch them perform at the highest stage.”

Also Read: FIBA Asia Cup 2025: Know India’s opponents in Group C

One of the players we discussed was Harsh Dagar and his game against Bahrain which bailed out India and helped them qualify for the Asia Cup.

“That’s the best performance I’ve ever seen. We have been together for eight years and that game motivated me to perform even better which will come out in this tournament,” said Arvinder speaking about the match that helped India qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup.

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He also revealed that the team had an intensive two-month camp in Chennai without any break, where former India international Yadwinder Singh joined as an assistant coach. His arrival has improved training bigs better than before.

“If the practice is at 3 pm, he will call us at 2 and will make us do drills for post-ups and rebounding. His training has prepared us for the defensive approach that the coach wants.”

India’s performance in the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup could define the future of Indian basketball. With the nation also playing in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers later this year, the stakes are higher than ever. Arvinder Kahlon is one of the brightest rising stars who could change how basketball is perceived in India.

At a time when the nation is looking for sporting heroes beyond cricket, Kahlon’s success could draw attention to basketball and help make it more mainstream.

His journey represents more than individual achievement it could be the breakthrough that transforms basketball from a niche sport to a household name in India.

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