Five NBA players that could have gone to the NFL
Being in the NBA requires amazing athleticism and physical strength that the average human would only dream of having. But what if those same physical tools that some players have could help them out in another sport, for example, the NFL?
So letβs take a look at five NBA players that could have easily made it to the NFL.
1. Zion Willamson
The first player who is associated with these capabilities is certainly Zion Williamson. A big reason that Zion was drafted number one in the 2019 NBA draft, is that his skill set compliments his size very well. He is a 6β7β 284-pound tank that easily bullies his way to the basket for easy points. That kind of body would certainly dominate in basketball, but it is also a dream prospect for NFL coaches.
In fact, scouts were so certain that Zion could dominate on the football field just like he does on the basketball court, that LSU offered him a full football scholarship. Itβs interesting to imagine what could have been if Zion was exposed to football as early as he was to basketball.
2. LeBron James
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeG6qPknb18
The second player on this list and another player thatβs considered to be built like a tank is LeBron James. James actually did play football in high school and was quite good at it. James was an all-state receiver as a sophomore and a junior, setting records in the state of Ohio that still stand. He gave up football as a senior to sign a multimillion-dollar deal with Nike during his sophomore season. James himself was pretty confident in his abilities, saying: βI felt like I was one kid that could have gone from high school to the NFL and playedβ, and he might be telling the truth. The 6β8β 250 pound freak of nature would tower above NFL defenses. His 44 inch vertical would rank among the top 10 all-time recorded at the NFL combine.
3. Jimmy Butler
During the Summer Olympics in 2016, our third player, Jimmy Butler, made some comments believing that he could have been a good wide receiver in the NFL. The 6β7β 230-pound shooting guard does have the physical tools, and work ethic to be a star in the NFL. It is reported that Butler carries a football with him almost everywhere he goes, which he received from Antonio Brown. Brown and Butler are good friends, and Brown has even commented on Butlers football ability saying: βHeβs always running routes with me. He always wants to cover me. Heβs in great shape and can run really fast. This guyβs a competitor and thatβs what makes him greatβ.
4. Russell Westbrook
Number four on the list is Russell Westbrook, a 6β3β point guard for the Washington Wizards with amazing speed and athleticism. His 40-yard dash is 4.3 seconds which is faster than the average 40-yard time for cornerbacks at 4.48, the quickest among any position in the NFL. That type of speed would benefit Russ tremendously on the offensive end of a football game. Trying to guard Russ in basketball is already a challenge on its own, now imagine him coming full force at you down a football field. Russ actually played football growing up as a kid, and knows a good amount of the game.
In a 2016 interview, Russ said that he prefers playing linebacker over runningback because he likes to hit people. Even though he may lack NFL size, at only 200 pounds, Russ does have plenty of aggressiveness and explosiveness, which would help him play bigger than he is, something that weβre used to seeing from him on the basketball court. Russ however did play running back as a kid until he became too tall to play that position.
5. Shaquille O’Neal
The final player on this list is perhaps the most terrifying NBA player that could step foot on a football field and dominate on any given night, and that is the NBA legend, Shaquille OβNeal. Shaq actually played football in high school, where he played tight end. The 7β1β 325 big man from Newark would be a great player to have to protect the quarterback during passing plays. Weβve seen it in the NBA, that it takes a lot to knock OβNeal down, oftentimes double and even triple teams wouldnβt work on him, so him being able to hold off an NFL defense would make the quarterbackβs job way easier. Shaq chose to pursue an NBA career over an NFL career due to the larger contracts that NBA players received.