NEW DELHI (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - When Amjyot Singh first played at the senior level in 2011, he barely made any ripple as India tumbled to a 14th place finish in the FIBA Asia Championship in Wuhan.

Since then, however, the 2.03m forward has improved by leaps and bounds. He averaged a modest 6.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2011, but his production peaked in the FIBA Asia Championship 2015, where he notched an eye-popping line of 20.9 points and 8.3 boards per contest. That cemented Amjyot’s status as one of the most versatile and productive big men in Asia, and, together with India’s finishing among the top eight teams, it underscored India’s status as a rising power in the region.

Amjyot’s star continued to shine brightly in 2016, where he once again played a major role in India’s campaign during the FIBA Asia Challenge in Tehran, Iran. Amjyot as not 100% healthy in that tournament, but he still managed to put up nearly 13 points and 8 rebounds per outing as India landed in seventh spot. He also played in this year’s FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final, bannering Team Hamamatsu together with two other Indian players and one from Japan. In that competition, the 24-year-old nicknamed the “Sultan of Swat” helped his squad sweep their first four assignments before succumbing to a superior Team Ljubljana (Slovenia) in the titular affair, finishing a superbly impressive second overall.

All these upward trends for Amjyot and India seem to herald a golden generation of sorts for the South Asian side. Long have India dominated their sub-zone, but rarely have they made any lasting waves at the continental level. With Amjyot’s continuous development and more consistent exposure for the rest of the team, however, India may eventually realize their potential to be among not just Asia’s good teams, but, rather, among its elite.

Amjyot shared his thoughts with FIBA.com.

India played in two tournaments in 2016 - the FIBA Asia Challenge and FIBA Asia Champions Cup. How do you assess the team’s overall performance this year?
I have been playing for India for the last 6 years, and basketball has shown some great improvement in the nation, which can be seen in our team performances through positive results this year. India finishing 7th at the FIBA Asia Challenge is the best ever finish by an Indian Team, thanks to the hard work put in by the team, coaching staff and BFI.

Many have talked about you, Amritpal Singh, and Vishesh Bhriguvanshi as the leaders of Indian basketball. How do you feel about this?
Amritpal Singh and Vishesh are both amongst the best and most experienced players in the country today and to be a part of the team with them is a massive achievement for me, especially to be called “India’s Big 3.”

How did it feel to beat the Philippines, China and Chinese Taipei in the FIBA Asia Challenge? How does it affect the team’s morale?
Our team was really enthusiastic about all the matches. China, Philippines and Chinese Taipei are some of the best teams around in Asia right now and beating them at the FIBA Asia Challenge raised the hopes of the team. Each win helped boost the team’s morale to the next level, and confidence in the squad right now is at an all-time high.

What will it take for India to finally breakthrough to the top level of Asian basketball in the future?
India have got a lot of talent in basketball, but we lack infrastructure and elite level coaching in the country. Apart from that, India have been playing in a lot of exposure trips lately, especially right now at the 21st Super Kung Sheung Cup in Hong Kong, which will improve the performance of the team. Also, once the pro-league starts in India, I’m sure India will be a Top 4 level team in Asian Basketball.

How was your experience playing in the first-ever 3x3 professional league in Japan?
It was a great experience to play at such a stage and get noticed by the Japanese fans. I was lucky to have teammates like Inderbir, Bikram and Chihiro since our performances as a team were brilliant. Personally, I got a chance to improve my individual skills, endurance and athleticism.

How proud were you to lead your team to second place at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour?
Being the only Indian in the 3x3 circuit and leading the team to second place amazed me and filled me up with pride. To be named as the highest ranked 3x3 player in the “Rest of the World” category at the World Tour event in Abu Dhabi just put me on Cloud-9, which is a huge achievement in my career.

FIBA is bidding for 3x3 to be added to the Olympics. What do you think about India's chances to win a medal in 3x3 basketball?
I think India will definitely win a medal. After watching 3 Indians dominate and scare opponents in the 3x3 circuit, I’m pretty confident that India will surprise and turn a few heads if 3x3 basketball is added to the Olympics.

FIBA