There are two things that the Mizo youth look forward to all year. First, the much-celebrated Christmas when the city is lit with the brightest and prettiest lights and families and friends huddle together to sing and eat. The second is the Mizoram Super League(MSL) when the top 8 basketball teams in the state compete to be the year’s champion.
In these much-awaited leagues, there is one player who is an uncontested favourite of the crowd. On the night that he plays, the seats are filled to the brim and both boys and girls alike, shout in unison, “Lalrina! Lalrina!”
Lalrina Renthlei stands as a beacon of pride for Mizoram in the realm of basketball, distinguishing himself as one of only two players from the state to have represented the India men’s Basketball team. His list of achievements is impressive, including a Gold Medal at the South Asian Basketball Championship 2021 in Bangladesh.
Notably, Renthlei held the prestigious Former No. 1 rank in the 3×3 player category in India and boasts the title of a three-time MVP in the Mizoram Super League. His prowess extends beyond national borders. He has also showcased his skills on the international stage, representing India in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour in Hyderabad, as well as participating in two FIBA 3×3 Challengers in Taiwan and Goa and the 3×3 league in Thailand in 2022.
Acknowledged as one of the standout players in the 3BL pro basketball league, Renthlei’s remarkable feat includes being the only basketball player to achieve a triple-double in the India National Basketball League. Additionally, he was selected to play for the Indian-origin team in ESPN’s TBT in the USA in May 2023, but unfortunately, his plans were thwarted due to a visa denial.
In his house, shelves adorned with glittering silver and gold trophies and medals tell the story of Lalrina’s triumphant journey to the top. A glance at the awards reveals a consistent theme: the majority of the trophies proudly bear the titles of “Champion” or “Winner.”
Lalrina’s first memory of playing basketball was at the age of eight years old, he was quick to fall in love with the sport and now, two decades later, his heart still finds its home on the court. The fact that his relatives once owned a basketball club, coupled with their family’s keen interest in the sport, played a significant role in nurturing his passion for basketball.
However, Lalrina did not start out planning to become an athlete, he had different dreams at first, “Well I always wanted to be a pilot but due to family problems and financial issues I could not pursue that so after I finished my school, it was 2008, I started playing nationals, that’s when I started to pick up the sport as a career option.”
Short spin with snooker
The sportsman first took up snooker as a professional sport career but a back injury held him back, “My snooker career was not very long since I had a back injury. I started playing in the nationals in 2010, I won the nationals in 2011 then I started having a back problem by the year 2012. Slowly, the pain aggravated, and I was diagnosed as a slipped disc patient so it was very difficult to continue the sport. I was sponsored by Bharat Petroleum but then due to my injuries, I could not perform very well. I played a couple of international levels, I played 6 times for India, four times in the senior category and two times in under 21. It was mainly because of my back injury that I couldn’t continue professionally, so as years passed I started playing the sport I love, basketball. It was 2015 when the MSL was introduced in Mizoram and that paved the way for my basketball career.”
In his short spin with snooker, Lalrina boasted an impressive track record, securing the Former U-21 National snooker Gold, a gold medal at the All India Invitational in 2012 held in Chennai, and clinching the title of three-time Senior Bronze Medalist in Pool. His prowess extends to international competitions as he proudly represented India in prestigious events including the World U-21 Snooker Championship, Asian U-21 Snooker Championship, World Senior Snooker Championship, World 9-ball Pool Championship in Qatar, and the World Team Pool Championship in China.
Career choices
When asked if he regrets choosing sports as a professional career Lalrina mentioned how in India is it difficult to make sport a career if it is not cricket or football, “Mostly very few people are making a career out of it. But it is a risk that I took and my family always supports me, they never say no to anything, they respect my decision and if I make the wrong decision I am the one who is going to suffer.”
The basketball player said while bigger leagues are coming up we dont know when it will actually happen and going all in for the sport might not be a wise decision, “But I played the sport because of passion not because of money so I can’t speak for everyone but for me, I have no regrets.”
For the past fifteen years, he has spent half of his life in the court but other than fueling his passion, there is little it has done for him. He has two children, a 6-year-old boy, and a three-year-old girl, he missed their first birthdays and had to go to train just three days after their birth.
“In any sport other than cricket, it’s going to be challenging. For me, I have made significant sacrifices. I believe that if you have confidence in yourself and truly strive to achieve something, giving your all, it is attainable. However, the journey comes with its share of sacrifices and losses, especially in a sport that’s not as widely recognized. In India, it’s particularly challenging. While personal sacrifices are a part of it, for economically disadvantaged families, it becomes even tougher. Yet, with good support from associations or the state, there’s always a way. Many successful athletes, not just in India but worldwide, come from humble backgrounds, and that resilience is what propels them forward,” said the basketball player.
Lalrina used to spend many months in a year in the coaching camp when he was in the national team, “I stopped going to the national camp now because I leave my family for half of the year, it’s difficult for me because I don’t have support when I am in the camp even if I achieve something I know that I am not going to be rewarded.”
Basketball overlooked in Mizoram?
Basketball players who have accomplished significant milestones often find themselves overlooked by the state government and sports organizations. Lalrina, who has excelled in both snooker and basketball, stands as a prime example. Despite his achievements, he has received minimal recognition, contrasting with the substantial rewards bestowed upon athletes in other sports.
“In other states, if the player represented India and they got a gold medal at any level the state will offer them a job or a handsome amount of incentive, for me so far it has been relatively minimal,” he explained.
However, these drawbacks have not held him back. He is hopeful for the future of basketball in India and in Mizoram.
Especially when it comes to Mizoram where the majority of the youth are keen on basketball, Lalrina has many dreams for the future of basketball in the state, but for one, it starts with the hope of a better infrastructure.
There are just a handful of indoor stadiums in Aizawl. Two out of those are used for the Mizoram State League, either the Hawla Indoor Stadium in Republic Vengthlang or R Dengthuama Multipurpose Hall in Mualpui. Every time the MSL starts, the seats are filled to the brim and everyone who watches the games can see that the stadiums are undeserving of the players who run its courts.
Lalrina shared his opinion on the state infrastructure saying, “Right now I think the sports infrastructure is not that good, especially for basketball mostly we are playing outdoors because we only have one stadium, Hawla indoor stadium which is not very good as of now it needs a lot of repairs but let’s see in the coming years I think since MSL is starting again major upgrades and repairs will be done soon.”
The leagues often hire international basketballers to play in their teams but the infrastructure does little to impress, “We are talking about Americans coming in and playing in our leagues but I feel like the first thing we should have is a standard court where we can display our talent because the infrastructure which we have right now is not a standard court so I feel like we should keep our priorities straight first infrastructure then coaching programs and the others.”
When asked how someone could rise to the top and reach the level he has achieved, Lalrina responded, “I don’t think I am special or better than anyone but I feel like the main thing is God. I am blessed and this is my destiny, I am just following my destiny.”
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