Basketball (M) 12/6/2023 2:00:00 PM Nashra Syed

Bijon Sidhu: From the west coast to Toronto's courts

Sports have the ability to bring people together. For some, it's a form of representation. For others, it's in their blood.

Seattle born and California raised Bijon Sidhu comes from a background where both of those ideas are part of the reason why he's made his way to Canada to play for the TMU men's basketball team.

"I started playing basketball because my dad got me a Little Tikes hoop when I was about two years old, and my older sister used to always play around on it. And then...I think from two, three years old, I remember just playing around on the little hoop," said Sidhu.

What young Bijon didn't know was that that one moment with a little hoop would shape his career, taking him from Seattle, to Vermont, to a chilly Toronto and beyond.

"It was 22 degrees Fahrenheit this morning. I'm checking the weather at home and it's like, oh, it's a nice 45, it's literally double the temperature that we have here. Yeah, I kind of miss that," noted Sidhu on some of the adjustments he's making in his first semester in Toronto.

As the only American and only player of Indian descent on the men's basketball team, Sidhu has deep connections to Canada and his Indian heritage.

He recalls spending summers in British Columbia with his grandparents and he's been a west coast guy his whole life.

"I spent a good amount of my summers in Penticton, B.C., which I love. [It's] a nice vacation spot, you've got two lakes on either side of the city, is not too many people, really nice and warm...I've always loved being in Canada," he noted.

South-Asians aren't often seen playing basketball at a high level. For Sidhu, he takes being a representative of his culture seriously.

"I take a lot of pride in it, especially being from Punjab and being a Sikh, I wear that with pride, and it's really important to me, so it's cool. It's kind of cool getting some recognition for it sometimes, but at the same time, I wish there was more of us."

Spotlight: Bijon Sidhu

The Sidhu family has always been involved in sports and is a tradition that has carried on for generations. From his grandfather to his siblings, everyone has carried that passion for sports.

"My grandfather...actually played basketball in India when he was in the Indian Army for a little bit. He'll call me and be like, 'So how'd your games go? How do you like the team?' and whatnot. So I really enjoy it. It's kind of a unique experience."

Even though his older sister and younger brother are over 4,000 km away, they never fail to check up on their brother, because family is family, despite the distance.

"We're definitely a basketball family. My mom and dad, you know, they watch every game on OUA TV from home…it's great having that support system. You know, I'll even talk to my little brother and we'll watch film together sometimes," said Sidhu.

From his siblings, to his aunts and uncles, to his best friends, Sidhu has built a strong support system. They're ready to tune into his games and blow up group chats with reactions to plays.

Coming from an NCAA Division II level school in Seattle to Toronto wasn't the easiest of choices, especially knowing that he'd have to leave his family and friends. Nonetheless, Sidhu took a chance when he sent his film to different schools across the U.S. and Canada.

"TMU responded to me and Coach Jeremie said, 'Come work out in the summer, I just want to give you a little tryout type of thing'. [So I] came out in the summer. They said, 'Hey, we really like you, we think you'd be a great fit for us. We'd really love for you to come here.' And that was that."

TMU assistant coach Jeremie Kayeye wasn't the only one impressed with Sidhu's resume. Having played against top hoopers like Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes, Detroit Pistons' Cade Cunningham, and Houston Rockets' Jalen Green, is a big deal.

Sidhu is grateful for the experiences basketball has given him. He's been able to travel around the U.S. and now, he gets to play in the North.

Being part of the sport for nearly two decades, Sidhu has gone through wins and losses, and every single one of those moments has held value.

"Playing in our district championship game in my junior year of high school was a really great experience. It was just me and my mom there…We actually ended up losing the game, we lost by one basically on a last second shot, but it was just a really memorable game. Tons of people there, you know, great gym, etc. So that was a really great memory," recounted Sidhu.

Basketball has taught Sidhu more than just how to play the game. It's taught him perseverance, strength, and resiliency.

He still has a few years ahead of him before he graduates, but if there was one thing that he could tell his younger self, it would be not to give up.

"Just keep going. Yeah, I would just say, keep going. Life is hard for everybody at some point or another. You're going to struggle with different things, injuries, etc. But, yeah, I would just tell myself to keep going and keep believing in yourself and you're going to make it one day."

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Players Mentioned

#8 Bijon Sidhu: G; 6' 4"; 3

Players Mentioned

#8 Bijon Sidhu
: 6' 4"; 3
: G

Players Mentioned

#8 Bijon Sidhu

Players Mentioned

#8 Bijon Sidhu