Jagdeep Bains- Raising Their Game: 3rd UBA US Pro Performance Camp

Originally published in Dec 2017 on www.ubaindia.com

"I'm very excited to go visit the camp again. I know I'll be coming back a lot fitter after it." - Jagdeep

Jagdeep Bains is one of the most experienced players in India and in the UBA. He's played for Mumbai Challengers in UBA Seasons 2, 3 and 4, and was an integral reason why Mumbai Challengers won the UBA Season 4 championship. His clutch game winner vs Haryana Gold in the regular season (106-103) helped Mumbai rest their star players in the last game of the season as they earned a spot in the post-season with that win.

"Four years ago, if you told me I would be making a game-winning shot on live television, I would have laughed," said Jagdeep of that shot.

Mumbai Challengers had the best record in the regular season with 5-1 and had a perfect record through the playoffs en route to their very first UBA Championship, thanks in no small part to Jagdeep.

For Jagdeep, the UBA Season 4 Championship was especially sweet, all the more because he and Mumbai Challengers had seen some tough setbacks in the previous seasons. In UBA Season 2, Jagdeep helped Mumbai Challengers win a close game vs Punjab Steelers to secure a spot in the post-season as he scored 21 points in an 82-79 win. He came through for them again in the play-in game with a strong fourth quarter, scoring 15 points to help Mumbai go ahead to the semifinals after defeating Punjab Steelers. While he led them with 24 points in a win over Delhi Capitals, that would be their last win of the season as they were eliminated by Delhi Capitals in Season 2.

In Season 3, Mumbai opened with a 0-2 start. While lesser teams might have folded there, Jagdeep refused to back down. He had 27 points vs Punjab Steelers in their next game, helping Mumbai notch their first win of the season. Jagdeep again led his team in the next game with 19 points for a crucial win over Delhi Capitals, earning a play-in spot. Mumbai's season again ended prematurely as they lost in the play-in game 97-91 vs Haryana Gold in spite of Jagdeep scoring a new career-high 29 points at that time.

Season 4, Jagdeep helped to make sure that history would not be repeated and he helped Mumbai finish it by lifting the UBA Championship trophy. With the UBA US Pro Performance Camp helping Jagdeep to ascend yet another level, he will look forward to helping Mumbai Challengers win a second consecutive title in UBA Season 5.

Jagdeep, along with Yadwinder Singh is from the first batch of players from the Ludhiana Basketball Academy. Jagdeep has had an illustrious career with the Indian team, having captained India in numerous international contests including FIBA Asia Cup (2007, 2009, 2011) and in the 2010 Asian Games to name a few. He's won a gold medal in 3x3 at the 1st South Asian Beach Games (2011) and followed it up by winning his first gold medal at the National Basketball Championship with Punjab in 2012. He also found himself among the top four 'A-ranked' basketball players in India at that time.

Jagdeep's recent comeback to the Indian team after five years is as heroic as any, a testament to his consistency, resilience and work ethic. He suited up for India in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in November, making it the first time he donned the national colors since 2012.

Considered as a mentor by Satnam Singh, Garry, Amjyot Singh Gill and many other players from the LBA, Jagdeep brings a veteran presence on and off the court which helps the players around him raise their game.

In 2015, Jagdeep was one of the nine players invited to attend the first UBA US Pro Performance camp in Phoenix. He sustained an injury early in the camp but was as involved as any from the sidelines, giving the younger players a healthy dose of veteran leadership. The camp also gave Jagdeep an opportunity to accelerate his recovery from a near career-ending back injury from back in 2012. "When I was injured during the first US Camp, I got my back checked out and got tips from the physio there which helped me to rehab." Rehab he did and came back strong when he made his UBA debut in UBA Season 2.

"The two main things at the camp for me are the training sessions and the world-class gym we train in, the same gym where NBA players also train," said Jagdeep, looking forward to taking his fitness level up another notch with the UBA US Pro Performance Camp.

The 3rd Annual UBA US Pro Performance Camp will see some of the top UBA players and others from around the world participate in an intense, two-week camp designed to maximize their skills as a basketball player, increase their overall strength as an athlete and learn to train in ways which they can maintain when returning home.

Stay tuned to read about the top UBA players going to train abroad in the UBA US Pro Performance Camp.