National Basketball Association (NBA) Academy India product Pranav Prince has become the first Kerala boy to sign up with First Love Christian Academy, a private high school in Washington, Pennsylvania. The 17-year old becomes the second male student-athlete from the NBA Academy India to get a high-school scholarship in the US.
Recently Ann Mary had become the first Kerala girl to win the Kansas State Life Preparatory Academy's scholarship for their high-school programme.
"I would like to thank First Love Christian Academy and coach Khayree for offering me this opportunity to play for their high school team. I am also grateful to my family and every member of the NBA Academy India and all my coaches who have supported me through the journey,” said Prince.
Prince, a Plus Two student at Jaypee Public School in Noida, earlier studied at St Joseph's School in Thiruvanthapuram. Under physical education teacher Manoj Xavier's guidance he excelled and went on to captain the Indian U-16 team at the 2019 SABA Basketball Championships. The team remained unbeaten and clinched a spot in the next edition of the FIBA U-16 Asia Cup.
Both Ann Mary and Prince captained the Kerala boys and girls teams respectively at the 36th Youth National Basketball Championships at Coimbatore last year.
Prince first participated in the 2016-17 Reliance Foundation Junior NBA programme before joining the NBA Academy India at Greater Noida n 2018.
The 6' 6'' tall point guard represented the NBA Academy India at the 2018 & 2019 NBA Academy Games in Australia and the US respectively. Prince was one of the 23 NBA Academy prospects from 15 countries selected to participate in the NBA Global Academy Development Camp in Australia last November.
