There’s always been an age-old debate around whether NFL or NBA stars could easily transition to each other’s respective leagues. Players like LeBron James, Zion Williamson, and Travis Hunter usually dominate the discussion. But recently, Vernon Davis attempted to put an end to the debate by professing that it’s the NBA to the NFL that’s easier, no question.
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Why does Davis believe this is the case? Well, because he thinks that the best basketball players at one point or another were also football players. Davis didn’t mention them, but LeBron, Zion, and Allen Iverson all played football in high school.
That’s why the Super Bowl 50 champion spoke with such confidence when he said what he said.
“I feel like the best football player is a basketball player,” Davis told Matt Barnes on All The Smoke podcast.
Barnes then brought up the old debate and asked which league would be easier to transition from.
“Basketball hopping into football. Can’t no football player, unless you just like different,” Davis replied.
Most of us at one time or another have invited our football friends to play basketball. Usually, it looks like an athlete out of place. As the football player will be overly physical and uncoordinated at some of the basics of basketball, like dribbling or shooting.
Meanwhile, a basketball athlete playing football will look seamless. Mainly because basketball demands good technique and footwork, which can come in handy in certain aspects of a football game.
Barnes’ co-host Stephen Jackson then pointed out to Davis that he watched Travis Hunter play basketball recently, and he was impressed with the visuals.
“I watched Travis Hunter, he looks like he can ball,” Jackson said.
Footage of Hunter playing basketball has been sporadically appearing throughout the offseason. It’s surprising how good he is at the sport. He’s only ever playing against random people, but Hunter indeed looks like he’s in his element on a basketball court.
At the same time, Jackson also told Davis that he thinks NBA stars can get delusional with the idea.
“Some basketball players think that about football, too,” Jackson said.
“What? They think it’s easy?” Barnes asked.
“Man, I know a lot of them motherf**kers soft. They couldn’t go out there and get pushed down and facemasked. One facemask and they’re going to be flopping and sh*t.”
Jackson might be right on the money here. NBA players have become way less physical in recent years. The game actually rewards flopping and tricking the referees into calling fouls. Meanwhile, the NFL punishes it with hefty fines.
All in all, the debate is a debate for a reason. There’s no correct answer. Davis thinks that NBA players transitioning to the NFL would be easier, yet Jackson doesn’t think that would be the case. In our opinion, the context of who you’re talking about matters.
For example, LeBron could probably make the jump. Davis in his prime probably could’ve too. But someone like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jalen Brunson probably couldn’t because they would be flopping and asking for penalties all game.
