It has been said for long that you shouldn’t compare apples with oranges. Yet, NBA player Austin Rivers made a bold claim about NBA players’ superiority. This irked many NFL players, including Shannon Sharpe who spoke for his counterparts and their elite athleticism. 

“I think football players are the most athletic,” the former tight end said. “They can jump the highest, they can run the fastest, they’re the strongest, they're the toughest. We vertical jump standing still, they (NBA player) get a step they running jump. For the combine as far as flat out speed ability? Oh no.” 

In a July 2024 episode of Club Shay Shay, Sharpe and Devante Adams were discussing how demanding the sport of football is. Adams, a wide receiver with the Los Angeles Rams, agreed with Sharpe and highlighted what makes NFL players elite. 

“They get a run even for the combine,” he started. “It’s not even close. These dudes like I said, the physical aspect is just one piece, but then when you get into the speed..they’re agile but being able to move on grass is different.” 

This conversation started on the Pat McAfee show in May 2024. In his appearance on the show, Rivers, the former guard, said that NBA players are the best. A harmless statement, right? But what followed next created an NFL vs NBA whirlwind.

“Where the best athletes in the world are, that's us,” Rivers said in an X post shared on May 7. “I could take 30 players right now in the NBA and throw them in the NFL. You cannot take 30 NFL players and put them in the NBA.”

The uproar was immediate, heard even in the clip McAfee posted captioned as “Let’s RELAX.” It didn’t take time for prominent voices from the NFL to speak against Rivers. 

J.J. Watt was one of them. 

“You don’t got a job in either right now, go head and try it…” the three time Defensive Player of the Year said on X.

He then followed by saying “For the record, I could absolutely not play in the NBA. 6 hard fouls is about all I could give you and call it a day.”

Former wide receiver James Jones called out Rivers as well. This debate spilt sports fans. While NFL players stood staunchly against Rivers, another NBA player had made a similar statement over a year ago.

Ex LA Clippers forward dismissed an NBA-NFL players crossover

In 2023, NFL stars and brothers Jason and Travis Kelce asked Paul George if NBA and  NFL players play in the other sport. If yes, who would be more successful? 

“I don't think any football player could cross over to the NBA, our game is completely skilled,” he said on Podcast P with Paul George. “I think for an NFL guy to be able to play in the league, they gotta be hell of a shooter, because otherwise we’re not gonna guard you, you can’t shoot. That athleticism, that strength, that means nothing if you can’t shoot the ball in our league.”

George acknowledged NFL athleticism but said it is incomplete. He said the NBA players can find success in football and cited Julius Peppers and Tony Gonzalez as examples. What are your thoughts on this debate? 

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar