Over the past year, the NBA and NFL world has butted heads over a hypothetical. Many have argued regarding the possibility of an athlete making the shift between basketball and football. On one hand, NBA players believe basketball players are simply more equipped to tackle the transition, NFL players, in general, vehemently disagree.
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Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George, like a few of his peers before him, has become the most recent figure to comment on the discourse. He proclaimed Anthony Edwards as the perfect prototype capable of thriving in a football setting. One-time Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark immediately put a stop to George’s claim.
Paul George made this argument on his long-awaited return to the media world with Podcast P. The nine-time All-Star initially went on hiatus to focus on the 2024-25 NBA season. Now that the offseason is here, he has returned to provide quality content and joined forces with the members of The Pivot Podcast for an amazing collaborative episode.
The panel of athletes discussed a plethora of topics. As their conversation progressed, George took the opportunity to get their opinion regarding the NFL-NBA debates. Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor, and Clark all spent adequate time in the NFL. Naturally, they weren’t going to agree with George’s take.
They expressed their skepticism about how plausible it is for an NBA player to succeed in the NFL. As a result, they asked George to provide players he believes he think are capable of doing so. He listed a handful of names, including LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams, and Edwards. Clark and Crowder were quick to come up with a counter-argument.
“What position is he playing?” Crowder asked. George took a second to think about it and responded with, “Linebacker.” Clark vehemently began shaking his head. George couldn’t believe their reaction. He believed Edwards had the body to hold his own. Clark expressed that the problem lies elsewhere.
“The movements and what’s required of you are just so different,” Clark revealed. The only way he could see an NBA player making the shift is if they put their entire focus on football at a young age. In other words, he believes it’s impossible.
George’s belief in Edwards isn’t a bad presumption. The Minnesota Timberwolves superstar used to play football during his adolescent years. Although George suggested he could play linebacker, that wasn’t the position he played. Edwards thrived as a running back.
Edwards is quite confident in his abilities as a football player. It seems he made the right decision choosing basketball, but football still holds a special place in his heart. Ahead of the 2024-25 season, he vocalized his belief regarding becoming the first NBA player to make the jump.
He claimed, “If I win a ring in the next 3-4 years, I’m going to play football.” Ant also spoke on the possibility of NFL players playing in the NBA and in his unique swagger, he refuted the claim.
“Football players can’t go play basketball. No way. I told my buddies, I said ‘if I win a ring in the next 3-4 years, I’m going to play football,” Edwards proclaimed.
Of course, Edwards was only joking, but there is some truth in his comments. The three-time All-Star has an enormous amount of irrational confidence, which has led him to the place he is today. As things stand, the debate will remain a conversation unless a special athlete breaks barriers to put an end to the discourse.
