Surrey basketball player Eesher Singh Sarai has become the first turbaned Sikh Canadian to commit to NCAA Division I basketball, signing with Winthrop University in South Carolina and marking a significant milestone for Sikh representation in the sport.
For Sarai, however, the achievement is rooted in something deeper than basketball.
He credits his Sikh identity and the stories of Sikh warriors shared by his father for shaping the mindset that carried him to the DI level.
Every time the 20-year-old Fleetwood Park Secondary graduate steps onto a basketball court, he relies on a mindset passed down by his family throughout his upbringing.
“My dad always told me stories about how we come from a lineage of Sikh warriors, and that really stuck with me. He taught me that whenever I step onto that court, I need to bring that same warrior mentality to conquer the court and be the absolute best player out there,” the 6-foot-9 athlete says.
For Eesher, moving to DI is the dream of a lifetime, but it also means entering a world where almost no one else looks like him. He is only the second turbaned Sikh player in modern DI history, following Illinois-native Dipanjot Singh back in 2009.
When Eesher decided he wanted to play in the United States, there was no local roadmap to follow. He had to build his own path, playing his freshman year at a junior college in Iowa.
Winthrop isn’t just signing a piece of history; they’re getting a highly skilled defender and scorer.
While Eesher is focused on the game, his achievement is making waves back home in Surrey, especially within his own family and the wider Sikh community.
His father, Randeep Singh Sarai, is a well-known local figure as the Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre. But lately, when travelling through airports or walking around the community, the family dynamic has completely flipped.
“More and more people come up to me now and say, ‘You’re Eesher’s dad,’” Randeep says with a laugh. “Before, they used to tell him, ‘You’re Randeep Sarai’s son.’ When your child’s achievements become your identity, it’s the greatest feeling a parent can have.”
Behind the big stats is a story of family sacrifice, endless car rides, and proving doubters wrong.
“People used to joke with us, saying we needed to feed him meat so he would grow tall,” says his mother, Sarbjeet Kaur Sarai. “But he is 6-foot-9 on a strict vegetarian diet. You don’t need to change who you are; you just need a healthy, balanced diet, and any kid can succeed.”
For Sarbjeet, the real victory isn’t just that her son made it to the top level of college hoops, but that he did it without compromising his identity or his Sikh faith.
“He stayed true to his values, true to keeping his hair, and didn’t change anything just to fit in,” she says. “I think that’s a really important message for all the kids out there.”
As Canada continues to produce more world-class basketball talent, Eesher’s milestone adds a brand-new chapter, one that hits close to home for the Sikh community in B.C. and across North America.
By showing that a player can keep his faith and traditions while competing against the best in the world, Eesher hopes his journey opens doors for the kids watching from the stands.
“I want to show young players that with hard work and focus, they can get here too,” Eesher Singh says. “If I can do it, they can do it.”