NBA onboards Ranveer Singh as India's Brand Ambassador for 75th anniversary

With Deepika Padukone already making headlines with her badminton court shenanigans with PV Sindhu, can husband Ranveer Singh be far behind in the sporty arena? Making his love affair with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the game of basketball official, the Bollywood star got onboard as the Brand Ambassador to India for the sport.

For the uninitiated, the NBA concentrates on four professional sports leagues — the National Basketball Association, Women's National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League. Ranveer Singh, as the Brand Ambassador to India will be actively involved in growing the profile of the basketball league in the country in their grand 75th anniversary year for the season 2021-22.

"I have loved basketball and the NBA since my childhood and have always been fascinated with its influence on popular culture including music, fashion and entertainment," the Gully Boy actor mentioned to the IANS after being named as the Brand Ambassador by the prestigious organisation.

Ranveer, who attended the NBA All-Star 2016 in Toronto and was seated courtside during the NBA All-Star game, will now be present as the Brand Ambassador of India at the NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio as the league celebrates its 75th anniversary. Moreover, Singh will be using his social media to showcase the behind-the-scenes of the event and produce interesting content at the event. "With the NBA tipping off its 75th season celebrations, there couldn't have been a better time to join forces with the league and support their efforts to grow basketball in the country," Singh admitted.

We are thrilled to welcome @RanveerOfficial as the NBA Brand Ambassador for India ahead of #NBA75, our 75th Anniversary Season. We are excited to have him on board and together grow the sport of basketball and the culture around it! @NBAIndia pic.twitter.com/j85PJbX8RA

— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2021

Just as excited as Ranveer Singh is to be a part of this grand season, so is NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum who felt including Ranveer into the NBA family as the right call. "A Bollywood icon and one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, Ranveer is also a dedicated NBA fan who is passionate about the league and its players. We're excited to work with Ranveer to engage with fans in India and around the world on a variety of platforms," he mentioned.

To amp up his role as the Brand Ambassador, Ranveer Singh will be taking part in a number of league initiatives for the 2021-22 season and getting featured on NBA India as well as his personal social media accounts. Using the social media space to promote the sport, Ranveer will help showcase how NBA and culture blends in, on a lifestyle-focussed Instagram page called NBA Style, as well.

His Airness was there too! 🏆🏀 #MJ #NBAAllStarwithRanveer pic.twitter.com/SXGgmzhtxv

— Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) February 15, 2016

"Ranveer is an ideal ambassador to headline the launch of NBA Style, our new Instagram handle that explores the intersection of basketball and culture," said NBA Asia Executive Vice President and Managing Director Scott Levy. "Art, fashion and entertainment are part of the fabric of India, and with Ranveer's help, NBA Style will contribute to the cultural landscape and showcase how the league and its players have been shaped by and influence culture," he said. We cannot wait for this collaboration to go live!