The age-old debate among cross-sport athletes is rearing its head once again as Austin Rivers and JJ Watt get into a heated debate over whether NBA players can play in the NFL.
Rivers infamously said this week that as many as 30 players in the association could make the jump right now, a suggestion Watt scoffed at and countered with applause.
I’ve often heard that “LeBron can play tight end,” but football is different now. Many offensive teams in the NFL would love to have a fast-twitch player line up or play as a YAC receiver. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, speed is praised just as much, if not more, than ideal measurable weight.
So what if Austin Rivers corrected him by saying 30 active NBA players could make the jump? How many of his NFL players would be able to step onto his NBA court if the shoe was on the other foot? We advocated who can become athletes across sports.
NBA players who can play in the NFL: 6
anthony edwards
Ant is already a star, if not a superstar, and on pace to become the next ‘great star’. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, he already has the frame of a receiver, and his 6-foot-9 wingspan would make him a nightmare as a slot receiver.
If you’ve ever seen Edwards play, you know of his incredible speed and incredible jumping ability. This player doesn’t necessarily need to be taught how to run a route, just throwing it on the fly is enough. Few linebackers can compete with high throws through the air, and he has a frame that’s difficult for DBs to handle.
Zion Williamson
Williamson is probably the only “big man” in the NBA who could be moved. He’s a diminutive power forward at 6-foot-6, but weighs around 265-285 pounds, which would make him the perfect base end in a four-down defense. Think along the lines of how the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets play at defensive end. Williamson can use his upfield bursts and explosions to wreak havoc.
jalen suggs
If you’ve ever seen Jalen Suggs play, you’ve definitely heard that he used to play football. To be clear, Suggs didn’t just play football for fun, he was a legit elite football player and a coveted recruit at that.
Two-Way Quarterbacks in the 2020 Recruiting Class, Suggs received offers from Georgia, Iowa, and Iowa State, among others. He ultimately chose to go to Gonzaga with a basketball offer and the rest is history, but there’s no doubt he had the ability to make it to the majors.
ja morant
When on the court, Morant has incredible explosive power and body control, which he uses to navigate through trees and score layups in traffic. Morant has a strong frame at 6-foot-2 and 174 pounds, but can be a vertical field stretcher in the NFL, able to go up and steal the ball when needed.
donovan mitchell
Mitchell also combines explosiveness and body control, but is a little stockier than Morant. Although he can play as a receiver, Mitchell would be a really good player in an NFL team’s secondary.
Luguentz Dort
Dort is already playing basketball like a linebacker on the court, so why not let him run and chase Will in the football? He has a wide frame and the lateral quickness to keep slot receivers and tight ends in the passing game.
NFL players who could play in the NBA: 4
Myles Garrett
I don’t know how he will fit into the rotation. I don’t know if he can shoot from long range, but I do know that Garrett is ridiculously athletic and doubly tough. At the very least, I think he can be a rotational big man who can hit up the middle and grab a few boards. The big drawback is that he’s only 6’4, but his competitiveness helps a lot.
Kyle Pitts
In high school, Kyle Pitts was a defensive big man at Lee Central, South Carolina. Although he eventually made the right transition to football, he was a pretty good rebounder in high school. Like Garrett, he will be a rotational defender at best.
anthony richardson
Many players have stated that Anthony Richardson was undoubtedly a very good basketball player. Take Chicago Bears DT Garvon Dexter, for example.
Florida DL Garvon Dexter said he played AAU basketball with QB Anthony Richardson. He said Garvon played power forward, but Richardson could have played any position 1-5.He also praised Richardson’s athletic ability, saying AR could have won this year’s slam dunk contest. pic.twitter.com/eUf7GaEYzj
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) March 1, 2023
Richardson was incredibly athletic, and his high school coach talked about his ability to dunk off the basketball backboard. He even takes part in and dominates pickup basketball games.
daniel jones
I get it. Why is the same Daniel Jones who tripped over his feet just in the end zone right in front of him on this list? Well, it’s because he was clearly a legit hooper in high school. He played on the same AAU team as Grant Williams, Jay Bilas himself He said he could have played in Duke’s rotation during his college days. I think he will take Vilas’ word for it.
Once the dust settles, it’s no surprise that both Rivers and Watt vastly overestimate their respective league abilities.Even looking at these lists, it feels like a huge stretch to suggest this Anyone We were able to effectively jump around the league and do well.
These are examples of us stretching the possibilities to breaking point, and yet there aren’t many convincing arguments. It’s best for these guys to stick to their original sport.
