Better Athletes NFL or NBA players?

[Takingbaconback]

When there are countless examples of college basketball players becoming great NFL players, I tend to give the edge to the NBA.

I think WRs and DBs are extremely athletic, probably the most athletic NFL players but there's always a part of your brain that wonders how they would do on a football field against Lebron, prime Rose, Wall, and guys like that. There is no part of your brain that wonders what an NFLer would do on a basketball court because you know they have no chance.

Just because more players have been able to switch to the NFL doesn't mean they are necessary better athletes. It just means their skill sets were more suited for the NFL. It's an easier switch to make skill wise, it's not really about athletic ability at that point. We know both leagues contain steller athletes.

Exactly, basketball is about honing a skill that is dominant around a ball like dribbling, passing, shooting. Football is mostly about skills without the ball, meaning more basic actions like running, jumping, blocking etc.

Biggest difference is that nfl players get trucked and have to deal with exponentially physical play and nba players are free to move where they want to. Yes things like dribbling involves athleticism but that's nothing compared to getting jammed at the Los and having to sprint thru a slant and holding onto a ball getting blasted by 250 pounder

[bigbreakfast]

depends on how you define athleticism. ppl on this board generally only think of sprinting, strength and jumping as athleticism. I would argue that body control, endurance, flexibility, hand eye coordination are also forms of athleticism.

[Takingbaconback]

depends on how you define athleticism. ppl on this board generally only think of sprinting, strength and jumping as athleticism. I would argue that body control, endurance, flexibility, hand eye coordination are also forms of athleticism.

I'd argue nfl skill position players have to build much better body control, endurance, and eye coordination cuz they are constantly hitting or hit.

I'm sure everybody has played both sports, which is more difficult at the end? Much more fatigued playing football, it takes more endurance and perseverance. Not only physically but mentally cuz u know u are going to be crushed if ur head is not on a swivel, it takes conscious effort to be aware

Is dribbling really an example of athleticism? Why arent javale McGee and most uber athletic high flying big men not good at it then? Because while it is better with athleticism, dribbling is a skill like shooting, it's not an indication of athleticism.

[SkyHookFTW]

When there are countless examples of college basketball players becoming great NFL players, I tend to give the edge to the NBA.

I think WRs and DBs are extremely athletic, probably the most athletic NFL players but there's always a part of your brain that wonders how they would do on a football field against Lebron, prime Rose, Wall, and guys like that. There is no part of your brain that wonders what an NFLer would do on a basketball court because you know they have no chance.

It's a whole different game when you're being hit by guys like JJ Watt. Almost every NFL player has been playing since they were kids, and are used to getting hit from a young age. NBA players are not used to the physical brutality that even the scrubs in the league are subject to. NFL players are conditioned to perform as close to peak throughout a game in which they have been pounded by big, strong men. Guys like DeSean Jackson are still running at top speed in the 4th quarter of games even after taking some hard hits. Can D Rose do the same? He can't even stay healthy playing basketball. He'd be horse fodder in the NFL.

High school aged kids come into the NBA and start for their team. An 18-year old kid would be lucky to survive training camp in the NFL. That's why the NFL has an age limit that has not been successfully challenged. Players like 19-year old Amobi Okoye, drafted in 2007, are one of a kind--and most people won't know the name because he never became a star.

What defines athleticism?
-Speed? I'm willing to bet the fastest NFL players are faster than the fastest NBA players. The average NBA player is faster due to the presence of massive position players pulling down the average
-Strength? No contest, NFL players
-Endurance? NBA players, among the best in the world (soccer, boxing)
-Eye/Hand coordination? A lot closer than you might think. The ball-handling skills of NBA players are impressive, but so is the wide receiver who runs at full speed, jumps and spins in midair, grabs a ball with one hand without breaking stride, and takes a nasty hit while still holding onto the ball. Still, overall, I give it to NBA players. The majority of NFLer's don't have WR-like coordination.
-Leaping/Jumping ability? NBA, but some of those NFL combine numbers are amazing. JJ Watt, all 6'5", 300 pounds of him, has a legit vert of 37".
-Directional movement? No one has to have the flexibility in the hips like a top level corner in the NFL. It is that flexibility that allows the twisting, turning, lower-body direction changes that allow(ed) guys like Deion and Revis to hang with some of the fastest players around. I'd would have loved to see a guy like A.I. gain about 20 pounds and play the corner. I think he'd have been great if he could take the punishment (they get creamed by pulling guards on run plays a lot). Overall, I say NBA, but at the top, I say the few true shutdown corners in the NFL have directional movement that is not matched in the NBA.

Two different sports, apples and oranges for sure. I don't believe the OP's question has anything close to a definitive answer.

[qm22]

I am going to go with NBA athletes here as well.
Facets of athleticism can be summarized as follows:
Strength-NFL: however most of this can be attributed to training
Speed-NBA: Running backs and receivers are obvious exceptions, but the average NBA player is faster if you account for linemen, etc.
Endurance: NBA
Vertical Leap: NBA (Again, on average)
Size: NBA: Height which can't be taught

As many people have noted, almost everybody with the athleticism needed to make it in the NBA would take the NBA for health and financial reasons, and most of the athletic advantages NFL players have can be attributed to training differences and focuses. Occasionally you see guys in the NFL with the size and athleticism to succeed in the NBA but were lacking in basketball skills, but IMO this is much rarer than the reverse. NFL players focus nearly entirely on strength, sprint training etc. To have a successful NBA career it is extremely important to have good endurance and stay lean.

You are grossly mistaken like most people are on vertical. I'm 100% sure you look at nba players vert when measured running which gets to 40". While nfl players are measured with no step vert which is a better indicator. Nba players rarely get over 35" no step

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Uh, the vertical leap is pretty useless. In the NFL, they have very low standards to prevent gaming the system. You see how high you jump but get to determine where your max height is measured against. I.e., you lower your reach and get inches to your vert.

In the NBA, not only do they care less, but they have some incentive not to do it because the NBA actually measures and cares about your standing reach. Meanwhile, the NFL has every incentive to get a high score on the test and trains for years.
In the NBA you need to jump off one leg well and be fluid in order to make use of jumping ability. LeBron is getting 40+ inches taking off on one leg at his absurd 260+ lb weight. On the other hand, if you go look at NBA combine vertical measurements you do not see a clear correlation between in game jumping and the people with the best scores.

Supposedly, if you're a 6'2 guy +- 1.5 inches, than you only need around 30-32 inch vertical to dunk. But I don't know what to make of a supposed good NFL athlete with a 39.5" vertical looking like this in practice dunks-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuIaEmC1w8o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHfKkoxyvDc It's not rare to see amateurs in the gym do the same.

Yet Russell freaking Westbrook has a 36.5" running vertical. I'm not trying to discredit NFL athletes but saying the standards of measurements are low and I think these examples illustrate a disconnect between numbers on paper and ability.

[SkyHookFTW]

I am going to go with NBA athletes here as well.
Facets of athleticism can be summarized as follows:
Strength-NFL: however most of this can be attributed to training
Speed-NBA: Running backs and receivers are obvious exceptions, but the average NBA player is faster if you account for linemen, etc.
Endurance: NBA
Vertical Leap: NBA (Again, on average)
Size: NBA: Height which can't be taught

As many people have noted, almost everybody with the athleticism needed to make it in the NBA would take the NBA for health and financial reasons, and most of the athletic advantages NFL players have can be attributed to training differences and focuses. Occasionally you see guys in the NFL with the size and athleticism to succeed in the NBA but were lacking in basketball skills, but IMO this is much rarer than the reverse. NFL players focus nearly entirely on strength, sprint training etc. To have a successful NBA career it is extremely important to have good endurance and stay lean.

You are grossly mistaken like most people are on vertical. I'm 100% sure you look at nba players vert when measured running which gets to 40". While nfl players are measured with no step vert which is a better indicator. Nba players rarely get over 35" no step

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

Supposedly, if you're a 6'2 guy +- 1.5 inches, than you only need around 30-32 inch vertical to dunk. But I don't know what to make of a supposed good NFL athlete with a 39.5" vertical looking like this in practice dunks-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuIaEmC1w8o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHfKkoxyvDc It's not rare to see amateurs in the gym do the same.

Yet Russell freaking Westbrook has a 36.5" running vertical. I'm not trying to discredit NFL athletes but saying the standards of measurements are low and I think these examples illustrate a disconnect between numbers on paper and ability.

What good NFL players are in that video? RGIII looks like he should be playing basketball instead of football, and he lost his job to stinking Cousins. And 5'9" 220 pound stocky Trent Richardson has never been and never will be a good NFL player. There is a reason he keeps getting cut. He was cut by the sad-ass Browns, stunk it up with the Colts, and was released by the equally sucky Raiders this year. RGIII has the build of a NBA guard, and that build sure hasn't helped him in football (injuries, concussions). Richardson is a joke these days. Trent simply isn't a very good athlete.

[qm22]

^I was using it to compare a 39.5" NFL combine measured vertical, not NFL success. At face value it should mean he jumps better than most NBA players including Westbrook.

[NBA Fan 1234]

You are grossly mistaken like most people are on vertical. I'm 100% sure you look at nba players vert when measured running which gets to 40". While nfl players are measured with no step vert which is a better indicator. Nba players rarely get over 35" no step

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

Supposedly, if you're a 6'2 guy +- 1.5 inches, than you only need around 30-32 inch vertical to dunk. But I don't know what to make of a supposed good NFL athlete with a 39.5" vertical looking like this in practice dunks-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuIaEmC1w8o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHfKkoxyvDc It's not rare to see amateurs in the gym do the same.

Yet Russell freaking Westbrook has a 36.5" running vertical. I'm not trying to discredit NFL athletes but saying the standards of measurements are low and I think these examples illustrate a disconnect between numbers on paper and ability.

What good NFL players are in that video? RGIII looks like he should be playing basketball instead of football, and he lost his job to stinking Cousins. And 5'9" 220 pound stocky Trent Richardson has never been and never will be a good NFL player. There is a reason he keeps getting cut. He was cut by the sad-ass Browns, stunk it up with the Colts, and was released by the equally sucky Raiders this year. RGIII has the build of a NBA guard, and that build sure hasn't helped him in football (injuries, concussions). Richardson is a joke these days. Trent simply isn't a very good athlete.

Trent was a great athlete before he added weight. However, he was never a runner with great vision -- this is going back to his time at 'Bama. As for RGIII losing his job to Cousins - you do realize that it has nothing to do with RGIII's talent and everything to do with Gruden simply not liking RGIII and refusing to change his offensive system, right? Also, the amount of times he has gotten injured / concussed has a good deal to do with the horrible offensive line. The dislocated ankle injury had nothing to do with his build and neither did his torn ACL (at least in the pros).

[Dupp]

NBA players easily.
NFL players have no aerobic ability and don't have to perform under any level of fatigue what so ever.

[Takingbaconback]

RG3 sucked cuz he never learned and trusted himself to be a pocket passer. His athleticism worked against him in a way, NFL is a much more complicated sport when it comes to overall strategy

[NBA Fan 1234]

RG3 sucked cuz he never learned and trusted himself to be a pocket passer. His athleticism worked against him in a way, NFL is a much more complicated sport when it comes to overall strategy

He definitely should have tried to work more from under center, but with the offensive line he had, can you blame him for not willing to be a pocket passer?

[qm22]

NBA players easily.
NFL players have no aerobic ability and don't have to perform under any level of fatigue what so ever.

I think that is one of the things which are not comparable. NFL players have no incentive to go for that build, it's better for them to dedicate, like how NBA players have less incentive to do extensive strength training. They both could adapt if they wanted.

[HighFlyer23]

NFL players are bigger and stronger ... better raw athletes for their size

NBA players are finesse type athletes ...

But NBA players are probably not even the best athletes in basketball ... I've seen some streetballers do things that NBA players cannot even do in terms of athleticism ...

[hype_2004]

HAnd Eye co-ordiantion, dexterity are SKILLS and not linear athleticism, NFL players suck at dribbling and shooting the ball when they played in HS but godamn they were the fastest and strongest amongst their peers many were former HS track champions and record holders in the throws and sprints. This is why they excelled at track and football and not basketball where skill is more of a determining factor for athletic success.

I disagree strongly with your sentiment here. Hand eye coordination especially is huuge in athletics and sports at the processional level and can't be discounted.

I've seen gym rats who can bench 300 lbs and squat 450+ etc. but without hand eye coordination their strength is pretty much negligible for any athletic purposes aside from maybe powerlifitng.

Hand eye coordination can be what separates the strong dude at your squat rack from elite athlete.

Agree with your assessment.

Being able to dribble, pass and shoot a basketball are SKILLS that can only be acquired at the absolute highest level by people who possess the athleticism to acquire them. People can argue you can teach skills, but not to someone who doesn't possess the prerequisite athletic ability to learn and master those skills.

Every sport requires skill. The 100 meter dash requires skill. Usain Bolt didn't just master the skills when he was a teenager. To be fair though it's a very low skill sport. Not a whole lot needs to be learned compared to other sports.

Being able to run fast and jump high are a only small part of overall athleticism but it appears way too many people think they are the only part of athleticism these days.

NFL players simply DO NOT have the overall athletic abilities as NBA players. Otherwise they wouldn't be playing that brutal sport for less pay, with a shorter career span, and a much higher risk of becoming physically and mentally ruined for life.

Again let me repeat dibbling/shooting/passing a basketball is an acquired skill, heck Ive seen regular joes on playgrounds/rec centers who are incredible dribblers/shooters/passers even rivaling that of NBA players, but they cant play in the NBA due to height and lack of ATHLETICISM. NBA players have the best combination of SKILL and ATHLETICISM to play at the pro-level, but don't try to make them out to be the best of the best when it comes to pure linear athletic talent in America.

[hype_2004]

When there are countless examples of college basketball players becoming great NFL players, I tend to give the edge to the NBA.

I think WRs and DBs are extremely athletic, probably the most athletic NFL players but there's always a part of your brain that wonders how they would do on a football field against Lebron, prime Rose, Wall, and guys like that. There is no part of your brain that wonders what an NFLer would do on a basketball court because you know they have no chance.

It's a whole different game when you're being hit by guys like JJ Watt. Almost every NFL player has been playing since they were kids, and are used to getting hit from a young age. NBA players are not used to the physical brutality that even the scrubs in the league are subject to. NFL players are conditioned to perform as close to peak throughout a game in which they have been pounded by big, strong men. Guys like DeSean Jackson are still running at top speed in the 4th quarter of games even after taking some hard hits. Can D Rose do the same? He can't even stay healthy playing basketball. He'd be horse fodder in the NFL.

High school aged kids come into the NBA and start for their team. An 18-year old kid would be lucky to survive training camp in the NFL. That's why the NFL has an age limit that has not been successfully challenged. Players like 19-year old Amobi Okoye, drafted in 2007, are one of a kind--and most people won't know the name because he never became a star.

What defines athleticism?
-Speed? I'm willing to bet the fastest NFL players are faster than the fastest NBA players. The average NBA player is faster due to the presence of massive position players pulling down the average
-Strength? No contest, NFL players
-Endurance? NBA players, among the best in the world (soccer, boxing)
-Eye/Hand coordination? A lot closer than you might think. The ball-handling skills of NBA players are impressive, but so is the wide receiver who runs at full speed, jumps and spins in midair, grabs a ball with one hand without breaking stride, and takes a nasty hit while still holding onto the ball. Still, overall, I give it to NBA players. The majority of NFLer's don't have WR-like coordination.
-Leaping/Jumping ability? NBA, but some of those NFL combine numbers are amazing. JJ Watt, all 6'5", 300 pounds of him, has a legit vert of 37".
-Directional movement? No one has to have the flexibility in the hips like a top level corner in the NFL. It is that flexibility that allows the twisting, turning, lower-body direction changes that allow(ed) guys like Deion and Revis to hang with some of the fastest players around. I'd would have loved to see a guy like A.I. gain about 20 pounds and play the corner. I think he'd have been great if he could take the punishment (they get creamed by pulling guards on run plays a lot). Overall, I say NBA, but at the top, I say the few true shutdown corners in the NFL have directional movement that is not matched in the NBA.

Two different sports, apples and oranges for sure. I don't believe the OP's question has anything close to a definitive answer.

Speed? no contest NFL several 10 flat-10.5 100 meter runners are in NFL roster and training camps
Strength? no contest NFL, Former junior powerlifters, weightlifters worldjumior record holders in shot put/discus are in NFL training camps and rosters
Endurance? closer than you think, several formerjunior 400 meter hurdlers/former college decathletes/400 meter runners/wrestlers are in every training camp and NFL roster
Hand eye co-ordination = apples and oranges, whats harder dribbling/shooting and basketball in traffic or catching a 55-60 MPH football in traffic while 250 lb linebackers are charging on you.
Jumping ability? this is where I disagree, NBA players have TALL athletes that can dunk with ease on a 10 foot basket, NFL players have 6 foot Olympic class athletes(marquise Goodwin) than can long jump 27+ feet, High jump 7'6 plus and several other former collegiate elite jumpers in NFL reserves and rosters, NFl have superior jump athletes that just happen to be shorter than NBA players.
Directional movement? Nfl players combine numbers are incredible in agility events/ SPARQ numbers of elite NFL athletes are way above NBA players.

[Yoshun]

NBA players easily.
NFL players have no aerobic ability and don't have to perform under any level of fatigue what so ever.

NFL players experience fatigue, just differently. They aren't moving constantly, but they have to exert large amounts of energy in quick bursts, similar to sprinters. In addition, they are constantly hitting people and being hit. It takes a lot of energy to do those things, and it's exhausting.

[RealityIsDemar]

NFL and it's not close.

You have to have speed, jumping ability, strength and agility NBA you can get away with having 1 of those things.

[Chalk1]

I disagree strongly with your sentiment here. Hand eye coordination especially is huuge in athletics and sports at the processional level and can't be discounted.

I've seen gym rats who can bench 300 lbs and squat 450+ etc. but without hand eye coordination their strength is pretty much negligible for any athletic purposes aside from maybe powerlifitng.

Hand eye coordination can be what separates the strong dude at your squat rack from elite athlete.

Agree with your assessment.

Being able to dribble, pass and shoot a basketball are SKILLS that can only be acquired at the absolute highest level by people who possess the athleticism to acquire them. People can argue you can teach skills, but not to someone who doesn't possess the prerequisite athletic ability to learn and master those skills.

Every sport requires skill. The 100 meter dash requires skill. Usain Bolt didn't just master the skills when he was a teenager. To be fair though it's a very low skill sport. Not a whole lot needs to be learned compared to other sports.

Being able to run fast and jump high are a only small part of overall athleticism but it appears way too many people think they are the only part of athleticism these days.

NFL players simply DO NOT have the overall athletic abilities as NBA players. Otherwise they wouldn't be playing that brutal sport for less pay, with a shorter career span, and a much higher risk of becoming physically and mentally ruined for life.

Again let me repeat dibbling/shooting/passing a basketball is an acquired skill, heck Ive seen regular joes on playgrounds/rec centers who are incredible dribblers/shooters/passers even rivaling that of NBA players, but they cant play in the NBA due to height and lack of ATHLETICISM. NBA players have the best combination of SKILL and ATHLETICISM to play at the pro-level, but don't try to make them out to be the best of the best when it comes to pure linear athletic talent in America.

And if you don't have the athletic ability, you can't acquire the skill. You can't be so called amazing all around athlete and not be able to do something like dribble a basketball.

I'm not talking about "pure athletic talent", I'm talking about overall athletic abilities. NBA >>>>> NFL

[Dupp]

NBA players easily.
NFL players have no aerobic ability and don't have to perform under any level of fatigue what so ever.

NFL players experience fatigue, just differently. They aren't moving constantly, but they have to exert large amounts of energy in quick bursts, similar to sprinters. In addition, they are constantly hitting people and being hit. It takes a lot of energy to do those things, and it's exhausting.

No nfl is closer to golf than basketball as an aerobic sport. It takes next to no cardio vascular ability compared to nearly every other sport in the world.

[76ers 2020]

No nfl is closer to golf than basketball as an aerobic sport. It takes next to no cardio vascular ability compared to nearly every other sport in the world.

Wrong. The difference is the difference between sprinting and marathon running. NFL players have to run that sprint 50-60 plays per game. The strength exerted by lineman requires good cardio as well.