Basketball coach Veselin Matić believes India has a lot of potential in basketball at the youth level, but the absence of a structure and lack of competitive exposure are major hurdles for players to make a successful transition.
Matić, who coached the Indian team from 2019 to 2024 and is now a FIBA instructor, recently visited India for a coaches' programme supported by FIBA and the International School Sports Organisation (ISSO).
He emphasized the need to develop basketball in schools, as well as through clubs and universities, to help the game grow in India.
Matić also pointed out the lack of competition for the national team, which often faces weaker opponents like the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.
He stressed that talents should be picked based on their game, rather than physical attributes like height and speed.
Despite the challenges, Matić praised the recent performance of the Indian men's team at the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup in Singapore, where they beat higher-ranked teams like Bahrain and Kazakhstan.
