Indian basketball is witnessing a quiet but significant shift. As the 2025–26 professional season begins in Mongolia, four prominent Indian players Princepal Singh, Palpreet Singh Brar, Harsh Dagar, and Sahaj Singh Sekhon have taken their talents to “The League,” Mongolia’s growing professional basketball competition.
Their collective move is more than a series of individual contracts; it reflects a deeper structural problem in India’s basketball ecosystem and the growing appeal of Mongolia’s league as a bridge to bigger Asian markets. The Mongolian Basketball League (MBL), officially known as The League, has rapidly developed into a credible destination for international players. Armed with stable operations, a 10-team structure, and most critically qualification pathways to the East Asia Super League (EASL) and Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia), the MBL offers something Indian basketball cannot: a reliable, competitive professional environment with direct visibility to scouts in Japan, Korea, and even Europe.
For India’s elite hoopers, it is now one of the clearest stepping stones to higher-tier basketball.
Why Mongolia? A League on the Rise
The attraction lies in the league’s growing stature. Since its rebranding in 2023, the MBL has transformed from a local competition into a regional contender. The league’s champions now qualify for the East Asia Super League, Asia’s premier club tournament featuring giants from Japan’s B.League and the Korean Basketball League. Runner-up teams also enter BCL Asia qualifying.
For Indian athletes many of whom face limited domestic exposure the MBL offers something invaluable: competitive minutes, professional coaching, and high-quality film against respected Asian teams. In a basketball economy where India still lacks a fully operational professional league, Mongolia provides structure, visibility, and financial incentives that the Indian system cannot match.
Meet the “MBL Four”: India’s New Professional Vanguard
Each of the four Indian players in Mongolia has taken a unique path, but all share a common goal: sustained professional growth.
Princepal Singh, the most recognizable name in the group, plays for SG Apes. The 6’9’’ center an NBA G League Ignite alumnus and former Sacramento Kings Summer League player brings significant international pedigree. In the early part of the MBL season, Princepal has averaged around 7.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting nearly 62% from the field. For him, the MBL offers the high-usage role needed to rebuild confidence and re-enter the Asian elite.
Palpreet Singh Brar, with Selenge Bodons, has delivered steady production, averaging 9.7 points and 7 rebounds. Known for his physicality and rebounding presence, Palpreet is thriving in a league that demands strong paint play. His performance challenges long-held domestic criticisms that Indian players lack the physicality for foreign leagues.
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Harsh Dagar, the youngest of the group, represents the beginning of a new generation. Still just 20, Dagar is using his stint with BCH Knights as a developmental stage averaging 5 points per game and showcasing perimeter shooting. His early move abroad demonstrates a cultural shift: young Indian players are no longer waiting to mature domestically before seeking professional opportunity.
Sahaj Singh Sekhon, a former National Championship MVP and vital part of India’s national team, joins Omni Erdenet Miners. His decision to leave behind domestic security shows how even India’s top talents feel compelled to seek structured professional competition elsewhere.
The Indian Problem: Security vs. Ambition
At the heart of this migration sits a harsh truth: India’s domestic basketball structure does not reward ambition.
Many Indian players prioritize long-term government jobs obtained through the sports quota, offering stable salaries, fixed benefits, and lifetime security. This system, while economically rational, pulls players away from high-risk, high-reward professional careers. Meanwhile, domestic league attempts such as INBL Pro and the now-defunct EPBL have struggled to offer consistent calendars, competitive salaries, or broadcast visibility.
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By contrast, Mongolian contracts provide better compensation packages estimated between $2,000 and $5,000 per month for imports plus accommodation and performance incentives. Combined with the EASL pathway, Mongolia offers both economic and competitive advantages. For India’s ambitious hoopers, the choice becomes clear: stay home and stagnate, or head abroad and grow.
India loses top domestic performers, weakening local competitions. However, its national team stands to gain. Players exposed to structured professional basketball return sharper, stronger, and more tactically aware. For a country aiming to become competitive in Asia within the next five years, this external development pipeline may prove essential. The presence of Indian players in Mongolia could trigger a long-term “Mongolian Pipeline,” drawing more Indians into East Asian professional systems. If MBL teams succeed in EASL and BCL Asia, the league’s reputation will grow and India’s top players will continue using it as their launchpad.
The movement of these four players is not a sign of weakness, but of ambition. It exposes the gaps in India’s domestic system and highlights the hunger of its best athletes to compete at higher levels.
Until India builds a stable, well-funded professional league, Mongolia will remain the destination for those who choose the harder but far more rewarding path.
