Yankees’ Aaron Judge Favors NFL’s Raw Appeal Over NBA in Theoretical Career Shift

Earlier this month, the New York Yankees superstar, Aaron Judge made a surprising confession. The 2022 AL MVP revealed that he would opt to swap his baseball bat for a football helmet if he had the opportunity to switch sports.

In a recent appearance on the Casa De Klub, Judge, a three-sport star in high school, was asked about his preference between competing in the NBA or NFL. To which, Judge started by acknowledging that if he were to play in the NBA, he might be suited as a point guard but humorously admitted his lack of shooting skills despite his towering height of 6’7″.

“I’d probably be a point guard, and I got no jumper….I thought I had a jump shot playing at Linden High School, but now that I see how these guys shoot, I did not have a jump shot, that’s for sure.”

Interestingly, when the conversation shifted to football, Judge was enthusiastic. He praised the physique and size of NFL players- specifically citing standout Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce. Moreover, Judge’s love for the NFL was evident when he commented, “That’s a sport right there.“

“I think I’d try my luck at the NFL, man, but I see some of these NFL guys that come through.”

Judge also elaborated on his link to football and opened up about how he was recruited by a few schools including Notre Dame, Stanford, and UCLA for the same. 

Moreover, as the discussion continued, he pointed out the intensity and emotional outlet that football provides and drew a comparison to the composure needed in baseball. According to Judge, in football, if someone hits or provokes, the player can channel that emotion into the next play. This immediate physical reaction is a part that the Yankees captain finds appealing about football.

Aaron Judge Dominated Football, Basketball, and Baseball in High School

During his time at Linden High School, Aaron Judge stood out for his performance in three sports i.e. football basketball, and baseball.

While playing football in high school, Judge was a Wide Receiver and was often compared to NFL legends like Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss, as per the New York Times.

And, on the basketball court, he was a center, where he fully utilized his height as an advantage in both offense and defense. His coach, Mike Huber frequently relied on Judge’s abilities to influence the outcome of games.

Despite having experience in playing football basketball, and baseball, Judge ultimately chose baseball, where he thrived as both a pitcher and outfielder. Although he was picked by the Oakland A’s in 2010 (31st round of the MLB Draft), he snubbed the chance and attended Fresno State to play for the Bulldogs for the next three years. Eventually, the All-Star was drafted in 2013 by the Yankees.

The decision to participate in three sports during school was helpful for Judge’s growth as an athlete. This diversity not only kept him well-rounded but also helped him steer clear of burnout that often comes with early specialization.