Ana: Looking back, if someone at the University of St Andrews had told you where you’d be now, playing professional basketball across different countries, would you have believed them?

Vijay: If someone had told me where I’d be now, I would’ve believed them, but I would’ve been interested in knowing how I got there.

Ana: How did your time at St Andrews shape your path, both on and off the court?

Vijay: My time at St Andrews is the reason I’m here. I think it allowed me to learn so much about myself and about basketball. It really set me up for what I wanted to do.

Ana: At what point did basketball go from being something you loved to something you knew you wanted to pursue professionally?

Vijay: Probably when I was around 13 or 14, when I realized that you could make a lot of money doing this.

Ana: What was your first big break into professional basketball, and how did that opportunity come about?

Vijay: My first big break was Lithuania. That opportunity came about because of my performances in Thailand.

Ana: How does it feel to be the first Indian player to play in Lithuania? Do you feel a sense of responsibility representing India internationally in the sport?

Vijay: Being the first Indian to play in Lithuania feels great. It feels awesome, but I also feel like it doesn’t really mean much unless I’m able to help others get there at some point as well.

I definitely do feel a sense of responsibility because no one has really done what I’m doing, so I feel like I need to do it the right way.

Ana: You pursued a Master’s at New York University while playing professionally. How did you manage that balance?

Vijay: The Master’s program wasn’t insanely hard and allowed me to have a lot of free time, which was awesome. It was also more focused on networking, so it allowed me to train a lot, which was great. And, I mean, New York is awesome.

Ana: What did studying in New York add to your perspective as both an athlete and a person?

Vijay: Being in New York allowed me to play basketball with so many high-level players and to experience a different part of the world, which is completely different from St Andrews in a very good way.

Ana: How has failure or rejection shaped your journey so far?

Vijay: Rejection can feel overwhelming, especially when you get turned down for job offers and basketball opportunities. But at the same time, you have to decide whether you want to keep going or give up at some point. I kind of want to find out how far I can go with this.

Ana: What inspired you to start your junior league, Sniper Sports, in India?

Vijay: I started Sniper Sports with the idea of helping and giving back to the Indian basketball community in the way I thought would be best. While India doesn’t lack talent, it certainly lacks infrastructure and the right kind of guidance.

The entire purpose of Sniper Sports and the junior league is to help guide young players and help them become the best players, and people, they can be.

Ana: What are your goals for the next few years, both in basketball and beyond? And what would a “full circle moment” look like for you in your career?

Vijay: Looking ahead, my goals are to continue playing across the world, breaking into leagues where Indians haven’t played before, and honestly just experiencing life in as many different ways and places as possible.

A full circle moment would probably be playing for one of the big clubs I’ve been watching for the past couple of years. That would give me the sense of satisfaction that I’ve, in some way, made it.