Switching Places

We often times wonder what it would be like if certain athletes played a different sport. Obviously there would be questions; could they succeed in another sport just because they’re so athletic? Could they learn the game if they didn’t play it when they were younger? There have been athletes in the past that have made that transition; Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders most notably made the switch from football to baseball. Jackson was the first “freak athlete” because you had never seen someone like him and unfortunately, we may never see it again with the way sports and money goes together. There was also Michael Jordan, but we can all agree he should’ve just stuck with basketball. Here are some notable sports figures today that we would love to see try another sport.

Cleveland Cavaliers Forward, LeBron James (6’8” 255lbs): LeBron was not only all state in basketball but also all state in football. With his combination of size, strength, and speed it’s assumed and been predicted he would be able to do well in the football landscape. Line him up at tight end or wide receiver and you have nightmare matchup problems. With a vertical leap north of 40 inches, LeBron would be the go-to target in the red zone, and by red zone I mean the entire length of the field. One test that everyone would love to see James attempt is the 40-yard dash. He gets up and down the court quicker than most guards with his freakish ability. What if he played defense? Line him up at defensive end and watch how quickly he’d get to the quarterback. Yikes.

• ·      Compares to: Detroit Lions Receiver, Calvin Johnson (6’5” 235lbs)

Oklahoma City Thunder Guard, Russell Westbrook (6’3” 200lbs): Another basketball player who many feel would translate well to the gridiron. There are very few safeties built like Westbrook, which is probably a good thing. Westbrook plays with a lot of aggression and energy, which would suit him well playing free safety. He plays at 100mph at all times and is one of the fastest players in the league with the ball. If you’re a receiver coming across the middle, a tight end going down the seam, or a running back out of the backfield, you better hold onto the ball because there is a good chance Westbrook will try and go right through you.

• ·      Compares to: Former Washington Redskin Safety, Sean Taylor (6’2” 215lbs)

Seattle Seahawks Quarterback, Russell Wilson (5’11” 206lbs): Now this one is kind of different. Much like Jackson and Sanders, Wilson actually did play baseball. In 2010, Wilson was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 4^th round of the MLB Draft. In December of 2013, the Texas Rangers acquired Wilson from the Rockies in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft. He attended spring training with the Rangers in 2014. It would be something to see if Wilson took a couple years off and focused on baseball. Would be a starter? Or would he come out of the bullpen? My hope is that he throws a few innings and takes a couple swings during spring training and we get to see how good he still might be.

Olympic Gold Medalist And World’s Fastest Man, Usain Bolt (6’5” 190lbs):

Bolt might be too fast for another sport. Football might be his best bet if he chose one. He would need to add a little more weight to his frame to be an NFL wide receiver but he might not have to worry about getting hit if he can just run by everyone. I have no doubt that he could run by a cornerback or safety, the only question I’d have is if he would outrun the pass. It would be fun to watch though, just like this was.

• ·      Compares to: Cincinnati Bengals Receiver, AJ Green (6’4” 207lbs) Take this one with a grain of salt.

NBA Guard, Nate Robinson (5’9” 180): Nate Robinson is a unique athlete. He’s only 5’9” and 180 pounds but don’t let that fool you, for his size he is one of the more athletic guards in the NBA. Hell, he even beat out Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodola in the 2006 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Robinson attended Washington University where he spent his freshman season playing cornerback for the Huskies (he accounted for 2 interceptions and 34 tackles). That sort of gives it away that he could actually play football, but whether or not he could handle the NFL is a different story. You would like to think that someone with his athletic ability and toughness could get it done.

• ·      Compares to: Cincinnati Bengals Cornerback, Darqueze Dennard (5’11” 199lbs)

Others Possibilities: 

Los Angeles Clippers Forward, Glen Davis (6’9” 289lbs): Defensive tackle,

San Antonio Spurs Forward, Kawhi Leonard (6’7” 230lbs): Wide receiver/tight end

Chicago Bulls Guard, Derrick Rose (6’3” 190lbs): Running back