Sim Bhullar is used to people staring at him.
At 7-foot-5 and 163 kilograms, Bhullar's big frame draws attention everywhere he goes. Even for him, though, the past few days have been unlike anything he has ever seen.
As the first NBA player of Indian descent, Bhullar has attracted a worldwide audience since signing a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings. He's fully aware of the cultural significance and wants to make the most of the opportunity - for himself, his family and every kid in India with a basketball and a dream.
"It's a big moment in the history of the NBA and the history of my country in India," Bhullar said following Sacramento's morning shootaround on Friday (Saturday AEDT).
"I know my family's going to be proud of me and everybody's going to be proud of me and cheer me on the court."
Bhullar's visibility has soared. At one point on Thursday, he was trending on Twitter. He said he finished the day with about 20,000 mentions, including from Indian celebrities.
"I got a phone call yesterday and the first thing the person said was, 'How does it feel to be the most popular person on Earth?"' Bhullar said.
"That's what it feels like right now. All the emails are blowing up on my phone. I walked into the gym and my battery was at like 95 per cent and I left after my workout yesterday and it was like 5 per cent.
"My whole phone was just buzzing for that hour-and-a-half I was in the gym."
Bhullar, who has spent this season with the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League, will have more eyes on him on Friday night when the Kings host the New Orleans Pelicans.
The game is being shown in India, though Bhullar is not expected to play a large role. Instead, Kings coach George Karl told him to prepare to play a few minutes behind All-Star centre DeMarcus Cousins and other veterans.
"I'm just enjoying it right now. I don't feel any pressure at all," Bhullar said. "I know there's a lot of people - probably a billion people - that will be watching the game. I'm just going to enjoy my time on the court and have fun right now."
Sacramento is intrigued by Bhullar's size and heritage. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is the NBA's first Indian-born owner and is trying to expand the league's presence in his native country, which he calls the league's "next frontier."
The NBA opened its first office in India in Mumbai in October 2011. The league says that, according to the Basketball Federation of India, basketball is the second-fast growing sport in the cricket-crazed country (behind soccer) among boys and girls.
A notable NBA player with Indian roots would certainly help expand the league's popularity in India, and Bhullar believes he can be that guy.
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