If NBA Players Competed in Other Olympic Sports
There are NBA players who would be great athletes in other Olympic disciplines as well. Here are our top 8 picks
Chase Budinger, a former NBA player, participated in the Paris 2024 Olympics with the US Beach Volleyball team; Kevin Durant believes that Simone Biles could easily leap to the hoop for a slam dunk.
So, we thought— with a touch of irony— about NBA players who could excel in another sport beyond basketball.
Joel Embiid – Soccer
A Real Madrid fan at heart, last June he was at Wembley to see Real lift their 15th Champions League trophy. Embiid has never hidden his passion for soccer, his sport before he started playing basketball. What position would he play? Goalkeeper, with clean sheets guaranteed.
Russell Westbrook – 100 meters
With his feline burst of speed, he might not struggle much to keep up with the world’s best sprinters. Russ on a track intrigues a lot, considering that for years he has been—and still is—one of the fastest and most athletic players in the league. A mix of explosiveness and dynamism.
Josh Hart – Marathon
With all the minutes Thibodeau made him play this year… between the 53 in Game 5 against the Sixers and the 96 consecutive minutes in Games 1 and 2 against the Pacers, the marathon is a piece of cake. If he weren’t a basketball player, he would undoubtedly be a marathon runner. Guaranteed.
Stephen Curry – Golf
It’s the favorite hobby of many NBA players in the off-season. However, they say Steph is really good. The Chef has even cooked up a win on the green, taking the ACC Celebrity Tournament last summer. No one would be surprised if Steph pursued a golf career after the NBA.
LeBron James – Artistic Gymnastics
We were inspired by one of his many nicknames: LeFlop, a fitting stage name for his gymnastics career. Just kidding, we don’t doubt the greatness of King James. Always coordinated in his movements and with a chiseled physique, even at nearly 40 years old, he is meticulous in every detail.
Jimmy Butler – Tennis
Part-time basketball player, full-time tennis player when he’s not playing with the Miami Heat. Jimmy’s second great passion is tennis; he’s even friends with Carlos Alcaraz (silver medalist at the Paris Olympics) and Alexander Zverev. Who knows if he’s picked up some tips from them.
Anthony Edwards – Ping Pong
We were torn between this and swimming, after he challenged a couple of teammates. He claimed he could swim with the best, but no, Ant and Ping Pong are made for each other. We expect a match against the US Women’s Table Tennis Team soon.
Draymond Green – Greco-Roman Wrestling
We’re sure there’s no need to explain why, but just to summarize: last season alone, he grappled with Rudy Gobert and showed his great affection for Jusuf Nurkic on two occasions with some not-so-friendly caresses and hugs. Enough said.
Ja Morant – Skeet Shooting
Now it all makes sense. Ja was preparing for Paris 2024 when he got caught twice on social media with a firearm last year. Missing the chance to go to Paris, he might be aiming for Los Angeles 2028 instead.