In general, are NFL players more athletic than NBA players?

[BWillie]

Hootie seems to think Kobe Bryant is stronger than all the cornerbacks and safeties in the NFL, and that LeBron James would be the best NFL player of all time if he played the game. You know, because guys like Tracy McGrady and Stephon Marbury would just dominate as a WR in the NFL. Nobody could cover them.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by GonzoRox88

Why aren't soccer players in the mix?

They're athletic as hell..and I hate that sport.

I play soccer and I do not think that.. It is a common misconception that we run nonstop during a game.. We run more then everyone else that is true though..

Soccer players hand to foot coordination is unstoppable and some of those guys are freaks of speed with a ball.. But most soccer players are pussies..

Athletic abilities go to football players on a whole.. Compare the two combines and you get your answers..

Just perceived perceptions skewing beliefs..

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

I don't understand why you keep saying that if you had a choice you would play in the NBA rather than NFL. Yes, I would too because of the money. But you seem to think, just because you are a great athlete you can automatically make it in the NBA. That doesn't make any sense. The amount of acquired skill in the NBA makes a great deal of difference. Some guys just don't have it. Just because Julius Peppers can't play in the NBA, and can play in the NFL does not validate your point at all. The best athlete at my high school was Justin Sandy. By far and large, he was the best athlete at our school. He ended up playing for the Browns and Titans here and there on special teams but always seemed to get injured. I think he plays in Europe now. He was the 10th guy on the varsity basketball roster despite being much more athletic than everybody else...

Sure, football players are stronger...I'm sure your boy Justin Sandy was a strong S.O.B. and that's why he played football and was so good at it...strength can be acquired, easily...naturally and unnaturally...strength isn't athletic ability. Your boy probably wasn't athletic enough to play basketball...plain and simple...the most unathletic people can play good football in H.S. because they can be stronger than everyone else...strength isn't athletic ability...though, athletes that possess strength have an advantage over those who don't...

[JuicesFlowing]

Apples and Oranges.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Drop James. Go to the 50th best athlete in the NBA. Now match him against an average NFL WR or CB on speed and strength. Who you going to take?

I mean, if you want me to I'll go through the rosters of every NBA team and list the guys I think would be dominant NFL receivers...it's just not the star players...there are young, super athletic dudes on every NBA bench that don't have the basketball skills to contribute...so they just sit on the bench, collect their huge salaries, and don't get hurt...

I mean, perfect example, that dude that lit up the McDonald's All-American game a few years ago that busted in Boston...Gerald Green.

There is NO way that dude wouldn't be a primetime NFL receiver...the dude can literally touch the top of the backboard...and he's no dumber/smarter than DeSean Jackson...he's just almost a foot taller with a higher vertical...

These NBA dudes are super quick...there are several receivers in the NFL that don't run 4.4 speed and are effective...but they aren't 6 foot friggin' 8...

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by Hootie

Sure, football players are stronger...I'm sure your boy Justin Sandy was a strong S.O.B. and that's why he played football and was so good at it...strength can be acquired, easily...naturally and unnaturally...strength isn't athletic ability. Your boy probably wasn't athletic enough to play basketball...plain and simple...the most unathletic people can play good football in H.S. because they can be stronger than everyone else...strength isn't athletic ability...though, athletes that possess strength have an advantage over those who don't...

Then why do they have strength events in the decathlon? Classical definitions of athleticism include strength.

[Basileus777]

You can talk about LeBron James and be right. You can say Kobe and have some credibility. But Gerald Green?

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Then why do they have strength events in the decathlon? Classical definitions of athleticism include strength.

Sure...but sometimes strength is overrated, especially in high school...LeBron James is plenty strong, as well as many of the NBA players who could dominate the WR position in the NFL.

[tk13]

That's a really tough question because both sports have great athletes, but the training regimens are different. Of course NFL players would break some NBA players in half, but most NBA players are not strength training like an NFL player would.

It's also hard to compare today to the 70's or 80's or any other era because it's probably not until this decade that all sports now have world class year-round training regimens with world class trainers. It's a different skill set. LeBron James is never going to have to run a 40 yard dash in an NBA game, he's never going to train like a WR. NFL players are never going to train to jump high enough to dunk like Dwight Howard.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Basileus777

You can talk about LeBron James and be right. You can say Kobe and have some credibility. But Gerald Green?

Gerald Green...6'8"...quick enough to play point guard...can friggin' jump as high as LeBron James...

Again, who is going to guard this guy?

The reason he can't play in the NBA is because he doesn't have a position and he can't shoot.

Assuming he's not reeruned, I'm pretty sure he can catch a football and I'm pretty sure opposing teams would have plenty of trouble trying to guard the guy.

If you're good enough to be drafted in the lottery on athleticism alone (Gerald Green) and you possess the height/athleticism he possesses, pretty sure he could be a dominant WR...

You guys are acting like it's a rocket science position...Devin Hester plays WR in the NFL...and the Bears wouldn't let him return kicks his rookie season because they didn't think he was smart enough.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Then why do they have strength events in the decathlon? Classical definitions of athleticism include strength.

You're telling me an NBA player can't strength train? Movie stars can strength train and look like a bodybuilder in a matter of a few months. You could work with a lot of NBA players and have them bench pressing a ton of weight in a few months, but you'd never want a basketball player to look like David Boston.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by Hootie

These NBA dudes are super quick...there are several receivers in the NFL that don't run 4.4 speed and are effective...but they aren't 6 foot friggin' 8...

And that 6-8 height is probably the biggest reason that today's NFL players could not have developed into NBA players had they chosen that route early in their athletic careers. And why TG, JP, and AG are better football players than they are BB players. Different body types.

The track record of really tall guys in the NFL isn't very good.

[ChiefsCountry]

Football weight lifting is the best in the world. It helps in all sports. Basketball players improve in all of aspects of their game with a workout program. I think their ability to run and jump is the pure athleticism at its best. Football players are stronger but more athletic its hard to say. Basketball takes so much great skill that only special athletes can do it.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by tk13

That's a really tough question because both sports have great athletes, but the training regimens are different. Of course NFL players would break some NBA players in half, but most NBA players are not strength training like an NFL player would.

It's also hard to compare today to the 70's or 80's or any other era because it's probably not until this decade that all sports now have world class year-round training regimens with world class trainers. It's a different skill set. LeBron James is never going to have to run a 40 yard dash in an NBA game, he's never going to train like a WR. NFL players are never going to train to jump high enough to dunk like Dwight Howard.

The difference is...

The NBA players have the ability to train to be NFL players...whereas the NFL players could never be NBA players...

Maybe it takes a year...maybe two...

But the guy that are 6'3" and above that can jump out of the gym in the NBA could all be NFL receivers.

If you're athletic enough to be an NBA player...and you possess that size with that athleticism...you can learn how to play receiver.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by cdcox

And that 6-8 height is probably the biggest reason that today's NFL players could not have developed into NBA players had they chosen that route early in their athletic careers. And why TG, JP, and AG are better football players than they are BB players. Different body types.

The track record of really tall guys in the NFL isn't very good.

That's because if you're 6'8" and have the athleticism of Terrell Owens...you're playing basketball...

Even if you can't make it in the pros you can still go overseas and make more, tax free, than you'd make in the NFL without the life-altering hits and physical demand.

[Basileus777]

Gerald Green has no handle, no work ethnic, and has a bad attitude, that's why he failed in the NBA. That wouldn't change in the NFL. Green isn't nearly the athlete you make him out to be anyway. He probably runs a 4.6.