Larry Nance Jr. is becoming well-known for his football fandom as a strong Chelsea supporter. He's also now lending his talents to perceptive teams as a football scout.
When asked by Goal.com who would be the best NBA player to make the jump from the court to the pitch, Nance Jr. had one name in mind.
"Russell Westbrook would be a terrific soccer player," Nance Jr. told Ronan Murphy of Goal.com. "He's got the speed, the strength, the athleticism. He's got the size for it. He'd be a great build for a soccer player."
As for players going the other way — from the pitch to the court — Nance Jr. looked at the one basketball skill you can't teach: height.
"Either Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) or Thibaut (Courtois)," Nance Jr. claimed. "They're both 6'6" or 6'7". Thibaut Courtois has sent me a couple of videos of him shooting, him dunking around, so he's talented with a basketball, but I also think Zlatan with his height would do well."
With Ibrahimovic now playing in the MLS, Nance Jr. can watch him even closer than he did when the star was helping Manchester United battle his beloved Blues. Speaking of Nance's Blues, Courtois was the goalkeeper there until he transferred to Real Madrid this season.
As for Nance Jr.'s football skill, he prefers to stick to the basketball court and watch football as a fan.
"I played it for about 15 years," the 25-year-old said. "I'm not allowed to play now, it's basketball and basketball only for me now. But whenever I get the chance to watch, I'm all in.
"I can't wait for 2026 (FIFA World Cup). I wanted to go this year but our season ran long so I couldn't make it. I'm really looking forward to it and I'll be at as many matches as I can possibly make."
