Sim Bhullar facts for kids
Sim Bhullar with the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers in 2022
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| No. 35 – Free agent | |||||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | December 2, 1992 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| High school |
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| Listed height | 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 360 lb (163 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| College | New Mexico State (2012–2014) | ||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2014 / Undrafted | ||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2014–present | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Reno Bighorns | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Sacramento Kings | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Raptors 905 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Dacin Tigers | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Guangxi Rhinos | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Dacin Tigers | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Taipei Fubon Braves | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Yulon Luxgen Dinos | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Tainan TSG GhostHawks | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Gursimrana Singh "Sim" Bhullar (born December 2, 1992) is a Canadian professional basketball player. He last played for the Tainan TSG GhostHawks in the T1 League. Sim played college basketball for New Mexico State University. He made history as the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 5 inches, he is also one of the tallest players in NBA history. He shares this record with Chuck Nevitt and Pavel Podkolzin.
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Sim Bhullar's Early Life and High School Basketball
Sim Bhullar was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Brampton. He first went to Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School in Toronto. Later, he moved to Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, to attend The Kiski School for the 2009–10 school year.
Playing for The Kiski School
During his time at The Kiski School, Sim was a strong player. He averaged about 16 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 blocks per game. This means he almost achieved a triple-double in every game. In the summer of 2010, Sim played in the FIBA Americas Under-13 tournament. His height and skills really stood out. In one game against the United States, he scored 14 points, grabbed four rebounds, and blocked three shots.
Moving to Huntington Prep School
In November 2010, Sim left Kiski School. He transferred to Huntington Prep School in West Virginia. At Huntington, he worked hard to improve his fitness. He managed to reduce his weight from 367 pounds to 330 pounds.
Sim Bhullar's College Basketball Career
Sim Bhullar first planned to play for Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, he changed his mind in August 2011. He decided to play for the New Mexico State Aggies instead. He couldn't play right away because the NCAA said he wasn't eligible. His brother, Tanveer, joined the team later for the 2013–14 season.
Freshman and Sophomore Seasons
In his first year (freshman season), Sim played about 24.4 minutes per game. He averaged 10.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. In his second year (sophomore season), he played even more, about 26.3 minutes per game. His performance improved to 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game.
Sim was named the WAC tournament MVP twice. He won this award in 2013 and 2014. He also helped New Mexico State reach the NCAA tournament in those years. In April 2014, Sim decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he gave up his last two years of college eligibility.
Sim Bhullar's Professional Basketball Journey
Playing for the Sacramento Kings and Reno Bighorns (2014–2015)
Sim Bhullar was not chosen in the 2014 NBA draft. However, he joined the Sacramento Kings for the 2014 NBA Summer League. On August 14, 2014, he signed with the Kings. This made him the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA team. The Kings later released him in October after he played in two preseason games.
On November 2, 2014, Sim joined the Reno Bighorns. This team is part of the NBA Development League. He played his first D-League game on December 6. He scored four points, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked six shots. On February 22, 2015, he achieved his first career triple-double. He scored 26 points, had 17 rebounds, and blocked 11 shots in one game.
Making NBA History
On April 2, 2015, Sim signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings. Five days later, he made history. He played in the fourth quarter of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This made him the first player of Indian descent to play in an NBA game. He scored his first two points on April 8 in a game against the Utah Jazz. After his 10-day contract ended, the Kings did not keep him.
In July 2015, Sim played for the Kings again in the 2015 NBA Summer League. He left the team after one game to join the Canadian national team for the Pan Am Games.
Time with Raptors 905 (2015–2016)
On October 31, 2015, Sim Bhullar joined Raptors 905. This team is also in the NBA Development League. He played 39 games for them during the 2015–16 season. He averaged 9.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Playing in Taiwan and China
After his time in the NBA Development League, Sim moved to play basketball in Asia.
- On August 26, 2016, he signed with the Dacin Tigers in Taiwan's Super Basketball League.
- On April 27, 2017, he joined Guangxi Rhinos in China's National Basketball League.
- He returned to the Dacin Tigers for the 2017–2018 season.
- In 2019, he played for the Taipei Fubon Braves.
- In 2020, he played for the Yulon Luxgen Dinos.
- From 2021 to 2022, Sim played for the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers in Taiwan's P. League+.
- From December 2022 to March 2024, he played for the Tainan TSG GhostHawks in the T1 League. News reported on March 9, 2024, that his player registration was canceled.
Sim Bhullar's Career Statistics
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | New Mexico State | 35 | 26 | 24.4 | .621 | – | .465 | 6.7 | .7 | .1 | 2.4 | 10.1 |
| 2013–14 | New Mexico State | 30 | 24 | 26.3 | .648 | – | .538 | 7.8 | 1.4 | .1 | 3.4 | 10.4 |
| Career | 65 | 50 | 25.3 | .633 | – | .496 | 7.2 | 1.0 | .1 | 2.9 | 10.2 | |
NBA Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Sacramento | 3 | 0 | 1.0 | .500 | – | – | .3 | .3 | .0 | .3 | .7 |
Sim Bhullar's National Team Career
Sim Bhullar also played for the Canadian national basketball team.
FIBA Americas U18 Championship
He played in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. In five games, he averaged 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds. Canada won the bronze medal in this tournament.
FIBA Under-19 World Championship
Sim then played for Canada in the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. He averaged 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in six games. Canada finished in 11th place in this competition.
Sim Bhullar's Family Life
Sim Bhullar's parents moved to Canada from the state of Punjab in India. His father, Avtar, is 6 feet 4 inches tall. His mother, Varinder, is 5 feet 10 inches tall. Neither of his parents played basketball until their sons started playing in youth programs. Sim's father grew up playing kabaddi, a traditional Indian contact sport.
Sim has an older sister named Avneet. She played women’s college basketball for Duke University from 2009 to 2012. He also has a younger brother, Tanveer, who is 7 feet 2 inches tall. Tanveer played college basketball for both New Mexico State and later Missouri State.
More About Tall Basketball Players
- List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history
- List of Canadians in the National Basketball Association
See also
In Spanish: Sim Bhullar para niños
