Nav Bhatia is bringing his passion for basketball to Brampton.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a familiar face at every Toronto Raptors home game \u2014 and now he\u2019s bringing his passion for basketball to Brampton.<\/p>\n
Nav Bhatia, affectionately known as the \u201cRaptors Superfan,\u201d has taken on the role of community ambassador with the Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. The position is aimed at raising the team\u2019s profile through a series of community initiatives.<\/p>\n
As part of the partnership, the team will work alongside the Superfan Nav Bhatia Foundation to inspire youth in the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking as an ambassador for Canada Basketball and the Toronto Raptors has given me the opportunity to impact our youth on a global and national scale,\u201d Bhatia said. \u201cWhat the Brampton Honey Badgers represent is an opportunity to work much closer with the youth in my own backyard, with the community I grew up alongside.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Mississauga-based auto dealer, Bhatia is widely regarded as one of the most famous basketball fans in the world.<\/p>\n
He has attended every Raptors home game since the team\u2019s inception, aside from those played without fans during the pandemic. Bhatia is a fixture in his courtside seat behind one of the nets, where television cameras often capture him cheering on the team.<\/p>\n
His enthusiasm has made him an integral part of the franchise. When the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019, he became the first fan to receive an official NBA championship ring.<\/p>\n
Now, he hopes to bring that same passion to Brampton.<\/p>\n
He has already been involved in the team\u2019s \u201cBadger\u2019s Bench Mob\u201d program, which donates unused game tickets to young people in the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cWords cannot fully capture the impact Nav Bhatia has had on basketball in Canada,\u201d said Honey Badgers CEO Al Whitley. \u201cThis marks a significant milestone for the Brampton Honey Badgers. Nav\u2019s influence on the game and his connection to communities across the GTA will help elevate our organization to new heights. We are proud to work alongside Nav and engage our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Honey Badgers play out of the CAA Centre in Brampton.<\/p>\n
They are one of the original franchises in the CEBL, a summer league that runs from May to August and features a mix of Canadian talent, international professionals and players with NBA and G League experience.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n