Indian basketball phenom Satnam Singh was seen in a spirited pre-draft workout at the Sacramento Kings practice facility over a week ago. He gamely engaged in some post up drills, pull-up jumpers, pick-and-rolls, and even transition plays. Overall, the workout went well enough for Singh that Sac-Town scouts were able to see glimpses of Chinese basketball great Yao Ming from the young protégé, according to The India Times.

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One can obviously draw comparisons with the former Houston Rockets all-star center if you walk around with a 7'2", 290-pound body inside the basketball court. Though it could be argued that Yao, 7'5", 296-pounds, was far more advanced in skill and experience when he was drafted by the Rockets first overall in 2002. Back then, he came out of China averaging 32 points and 19 rebounds playing for the Chinese Basketball Association's Shanghai Sharks.

On the other hand, Singh is a raw 19-year old who is projected by Draft Express as a late second rounder or even an early third rounder. He has seen action as part of the IMG Academy post-graduate team averaging 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in just less than 20 minutes per game. Realistically, those numbers could either land him under an affiliate team in the developmental league, or, according to a Sacramento Bee report, earn him a training camp invite.

Other sources speculate that the Kings are prepared to draft Singh by virtue of being a compatriot of Vivek Ranadive, the team's majority owner. With the Kings picking at No. 6, we find it hard to imagine that the team will be willing to take a chance on such a project, especially when names like Justise Winlsow or Willie Cauley-Stein are still available on the board. Still, a remote possibility for the Kings, according to Bleacher Report, is to trade down with their No. 6 pick in exchange for Boston Celtics' Nos. 16, 28, and 33 slots and try to acquire Singh and more assets. 

Singh, who has been called "The Yao Ming of India" since he was 15, is trying to be the NBA's first Indian-born basketball player. He hopes that his pioneering efforts will someday make a major impact in Indian Basketball, similar to what Yao has done in China.

TagsSatnam Singh, Yao Ming, chinese basketball association, sacramento kings