Tamil Nadu's Ulhas signs for Serbia's top-tier club Novi Pazar

CHENNAI: Ulhas Satyanarayan from Kancheepuram, the torchbearer for Indian basketball in recent times after becoming the first player from India to play in Europe, is making headlines once again as he signed with the top-tier Division 1 club Novi Pazar Salamander in the Serbian Basketball League, Kosarkaska Liga Srbije (KLS).

He has earlier had stints with Gloria in the Moldovan National League Division 1 and in Malta.

“I am very happy to sign with Novi Pazar. Getting to play in one of the biggest leagues in Europe is definitely a privilege,” Ulhas told DT Next.

Ulhas believes it will be a great experience sharing the court with the Serbs, especially with Serbia emerging as a force to be reckoned with in basketball in recent years. They gave the famed United States team, which has an astounding 17 Olympic gold medals in its cupboard, a run for their money in the semi-final of the Paris Olympics, eventually settling for a bronze medal.

“Serbia, being the basketball nation they are, had a 14-point lead over the USA for almost half of the match. This showcases how strong the league I’m heading to is. It can prove to be my next stepping stone toward the National Basketball Association (NBA),” he added.

The new Serbian season is scheduled to commence in October, and Ulhas is expected to join Novi Pazar’s preseason camp in the second week of September.

Ulhas insisted that his success is about more than himself; he wants to be a source of hope for other aspiring players in India. “I think the coming generation, with the talent we have in India, can play anywhere they want. Indians are no less than anyone in basketball, and I hope my journey inspires and helps them believe they can do it too,” he said.

Ulhas represented India against Lebanon in a World Cup qualifier in October 2022 and also played against Jordan and Saudi Arabia in February 2023.

He also led the Westminster Dragons men’s team while pursuing his business management course in the United Kingdom and guided the university to its first championship in seven years in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) league.