Chennai: Indian basketball is set to take a big step forward this month when Geethu Anna Jose becomes the first player from her country to attend tryouts for the American professional league.
The 25-year-old centre will have training sessions with WNBA teams Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks and Saint Antonio Silver Stars in the space of eight days in what could be a history-making moment for the sport in her country.
High expectations
"There is pressure and high expectations," the 6-foot-2 inches (188-centimetre) Jose told the Associated Press.
"The Indian basketball community is excited, but then, it is also my dream and I am going to go out there and give it my best shot."
Jose, who hails from the southern state of Kerala, is easily the biggest draw in Indian basketball and was the top scorer in the previous two Fiba Asian championships.
In the last edition held in India in 2009, she averaged 22 points per game to help her team stay in the Elite Level 1 group.
India finished sixth in the 12-team competition.
Jose is looking to draw from her experience of playing as a professional for three seasons for Ringwood Hawks in Australia's Big V Basketball as she eyes an WBNA breakthrough.
