Five NFL Stars That Could Play In The NBA
Austin Rivers recently mentioned that he could pull 30 guys from the NBA to play in the NFL, or something along those lines. Naturally, that sparked a debate online between football and basketball players and fans everywhere.
While it is unlikely that either athlete could smoothly transition to the other league, it’s certainly a fun conversation. What NFL players could make the move to the NBA?
Myles Garrett, G
We’ve seen Myles Garrett in the NBA Celebrity Game before, and he had a pretty good showing. He had 13 points and eight rebounds, even throwing down a couple of dunks. Sure, it wasn’t against NBA competition, but if a guy like Isaac Okoro has an NBA roster spot, you can’t tell me that Garrett can’t give the Cavaliers exactly what Okoro does.
Garrett stands at six-foot-four and weighs 272 pounds, so if he uses his size correctly, he could be a pretty good defender in the NBA. We see how quick his feet are every Sunday and when you think about it, shot contests in basketball are just pass-rush win rate, right?
Micah Parsons, G
Another pass rusher, Micah Parsons, believes he could play in the NBA, however, he seems somewhat delusional at times. We have seen Parsons play in the NBA Celebrity Game, even winning the MVP in 2024 where he posted 37 points and 16 rebounds.
Parsons is an athletic freak just like Garrett. He comes in at six-foot-three and weighs 245 pounds. His frame and fast feet could be greatly utilized on defense.
Cam Newton, G
Although he isn’t on a team right now, Cam Newton is still an active NFL player and while his best years of athleticism may be behind him, in his prime he could have competed in the NBA. He has played games in the Creator League, a basketball league full of content creators, but just like Garrett and Parsons, his athleticism would likely be his redeeming ticket into the NBA.
At six-foot-five and 245 pounds, Newton has the frame to survive on the defensive end and if he can shoot, he might be able to be a 3&D type of guy. Not saying he would be great or anything, but potentially serviceable.
Chase Claypool, G
While this one may seem like an odd pick out of all players, Chase Claypool allegedly averaged over 40 points a game in high school basketball back in Canada. So if that’s the case then he might have a shot at the transition to the NBA.
Claypool is six-foot-four and weighs 238 pounds so if he can score the rock even half as well as he could in high school, he might be a force to be reckoned with. Add in his length and speed on the defensive end and we might have a real NBA bench player here.
Terrelle Pryor, G
This one might be slightly cheating as he hasn’t been in the NFL in years, but Terrelle Pryor was a serious baller before going to Ohio State to play football. Look up his high school highlights.
In his 2006-2007 high school season, Pryor averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds, as well as six triple-doubles. He was also ranked ahead of Klay Thompson in recruiting when coming out of high school. Pryor had a real shot at the NBA before deciding to focus on football.
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