The great debate about whether or not NFL players could play in the NBA and vice versa raged this week after Austin Rivers and J.J. Watt argued about the question on social media. This got everything thinking about which NFL players they'd love to play in the NBA as well.
The Jets social media team asked the same question this week to Jets players, and the overwhelming responses were that NBA players couldn't play in the NFL, but NFL players could play in the NBA. Jets players said the only exceptions would be LeBron James or Anthony Edwards. Otherwise, players noted that the complexities of the NFL game would be too much for NBA players to simply switch sports.
One Jets player went a step further, though. Running back Breece Hall named a few NBA players he thought he could compete against on the court. He shouted out Pacers guard T. J. McConnell, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Wizards guard Tyus Jones, Bucks guard Patrick Beverley and Hawks guard Trae Young. Skip to 1:48 for Hall's full explanation.
the great debate pic.twitter.com/l9X2mMsXro
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 9, 2024
Not everyone on the Jets with Hall's assessment, though. Cornerback D.J. Reed later posted on social media in response to the video, "I love you dawg & the confidence but you not giving Pat Bev buckets."
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, meanwhile, called out Raiders and former Packers teammate Davante Adams as someone who could easily make the switch to the NBA. Other Jets players noted that wide receiver Garrett Wilson played in high school and tight end Tyler Conklin played seven games of college basketball at Northwood University before he transferred to play football at Central Michigan.
There have been plenty of former college basketball players who transitioned to the NFL over the years as well. From Julius Thomas to Antonio Gates to Mo Alie-Cox. All saw success in the NFL despite growing up as a basketball player. Other NFL stars like Patrick Mahomes and Myles Garrett have gone viral for their hoop skills.
This is the biggest conversation in sports right now, and it's not going away anytime soon. We made need both leagues to do an exchange program for a game or two to see once and forever which league would win the debate. And it would need to be more than whatever the Mavericks did with former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo as an honorable player for a game in 2017.
