Better Athletes NFL or NBA players?

[dhsilv2]

I think NFL players are more athletic by a good margin. Peak Russ and Westbrook are pretty much as athletic as its ever been in terms of speed/quickness/power for size and bounce and agility. But every single NFL team has multiple guys that eclipse them in all of those categories, or at worst match them. Basketball is a sport where, if you don't have the ability to shoot and dribble, you will be a bad player no matter how athletic you are. Malik Monk is an insane athlete in almost every way and he's becoming good, but it's not in proportion to how athletic he is. If he had better handle, more consistent jumper, he'd look way way better, but he doesn't.

People will speak on fluidity, but cornerbacks and running backs and wide receivers are usually incredibly coordinated and fluid and have the best body control in the world, maybe aside from gymnasts.

If you can't dribble you aren't truly elite in terms of agility. Reaction time, coordination, etc are part of being agile. Not just the ability to make a cut and change direction of your full body. It's a much broader term and it covers a LOT of athletics.

[Ambrose]

Coordination and endurance are conventional athleticism.

Here's the definition. "the physical qualities that are characteristic of athletes, such as strength, fitness, and agility."

fitness and agility....

Strength, and agility would be NFL players. Fitness is dependent upon the definition.

There's no chance NFL players ave better agility (agility is more than running cones in some silly test). And fitness is going to fall into things like...endurance!

There is absolutely a chance (an excellent one, by the way) NFL players have better agility. NFL athletes would dominate in the silly cone test and still win in practical agility. Every skill position requires it in the NFL and lineman need it too. Sweet, endurance is one part of athleticism. They can take one category and still be clearly worse athletes as a whole.

[dhsilv2]

Strength, and agility would be NFL players. Fitness is dependent upon the definition.

There's no chance NFL players ave better agility (agility is more than running cones in some silly test). And fitness is going to fall into things like...endurance!

There is absolutely a chance (an excellent one, by the way) NFL players have better agility. NFL athletes would dominate in the silly cone test and still win in practical agility. Every skill position requires it in the NFL and lineman need it too. Sweet, endurance is one part of athleticism. They can take one category and still be clearly worse athletes as a whole.

The cone test isn't a good test of agility. But agility isn't just moving your whole body. It's moving your hands, your head, it's the ability to pump fake, it's the coordinator to do complex movements such as dribbling a ball while running.

[Ambrose]

There's no chance NFL players ave better agility (agility is more than running cones in some silly test). And fitness is going to fall into things like...endurance!

There is absolutely a chance (an excellent one, by the way) NFL players have better agility. NFL athletes would dominate in the silly cone test and still win in practical agility. Every skill position requires it in the NFL and lineman need it too. Sweet, endurance is one part of athleticism. They can take one category and still be clearly worse athletes as a whole.

The cone test isn't a good test of agility. But agility isn't just moving your whole body. It's moving your hands, your head, it's the ability to pump fake, it's the coordinator to do complex movements such as dribbling a ball while running.

Dribbling a ball has nothing to do with agility. That's coordination. You can dribble a ball while standing still, which by definition is not agility.

Defintion: the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness:

A CB or WR in football requires more agility than any position in the NBA. Running a route is a complex movement. Defending a moving target is a complex movement.

[dhsilv2]

There is absolutely a chance (an excellent one, by the way) NFL players have better agility. NFL athletes would dominate in the silly cone test and still win in practical agility. Every skill position requires it in the NFL and lineman need it too. Sweet, endurance is one part of athleticism. They can take one category and still be clearly worse athletes as a whole.

The cone test isn't a good test of agility. But agility isn't just moving your whole body. It's moving your hands, your head, it's the ability to pump fake, it's the coordinator to do complex movements such as dribbling a ball while running.

Dribbling a ball has nothing to do with agility. That's coordination. You can dribble a ball while standing still, which by definition is not agility.

Defintion: the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness:

A CB or WR in football requires more agility than any position in the NBA. Running a route is a complex movement. Defending a moving target is a complex movement.

You can dribble without moving your hands and arms?

[Pelly24]

I think NFL players are more athletic by a good margin. Peak Russ and Westbrook are pretty much as athletic as its ever been in terms of speed/quickness/power for size and bounce and agility. But every single NFL team has multiple guys that eclipse them in all of those categories, or at worst match them. Basketball is a sport where, if you don't have the ability to shoot and dribble, you will be a bad player no matter how athletic you are. Malik Monk is an insane athlete in almost every way and he's becoming good, but it's not in proportion to how athletic he is. If he had better handle, more consistent jumper, he'd look way way better, but he doesn't.

People will speak on fluidity, but cornerbacks and running backs and wide receivers are usually incredibly coordinated and fluid and have the best body control in the world, maybe aside from gymnasts.

If you can't dribble you aren't truly elite in terms of agility. Reaction time, coordination, etc are part of being agile. Not just the ability to make a cut and change direction of your full body. It's a much broader term and it covers a LOT of athletics.

I get what you mean, but I think you can be elite in other ways. You can have elite quickness/speed and body control and agility but completely lack power, or you can have power and speed and bounce, but lack refined coordination, elite agility and still be a great athlete. I think it's a scale that also adjusts depending on how elite you are with other attributes. Usain Bolt looks incredibly unnatural dribbling a basketball and his dunk I saw him do was very unimpressive. But a good amount of that comes from a lack of comfort and understanding of how to dribble, how to get that explosion with a ball. But we wouldn't say he's not an elite athlete. He's a GOAT athlete because he's the fastest guy ever.

[dhsilv2]

I think NFL players are more athletic by a good margin. Peak Russ and Westbrook are pretty much as athletic as its ever been in terms of speed/quickness/power for size and bounce and agility. But every single NFL team has multiple guys that eclipse them in all of those categories, or at worst match them. Basketball is a sport where, if you don't have the ability to shoot and dribble, you will be a bad player no matter how athletic you are. Malik Monk is an insane athlete in almost every way and he's becoming good, but it's not in proportion to how athletic he is. If he had better handle, more consistent jumper, he'd look way way better, but he doesn't.

People will speak on fluidity, but cornerbacks and running backs and wide receivers are usually incredibly coordinated and fluid and have the best body control in the world, maybe aside from gymnasts.

If you can't dribble you aren't truly elite in terms of agility. Reaction time, coordination, etc are part of being agile. Not just the ability to make a cut and change direction of your full body. It's a much broader term and it covers a LOT of athletics.

I get what you mean, but I think you can be elite in other ways. You can have elite quickness/speed and body control and agility but completely lack power, or you can have power and speed and bounce, but lack refined coordination, elite agility and still be a great athlete. I think it's a scale that also adjusts depending on how elite you are with other attributes. Usain Bolt looks incredibly unnatural dribbling a basketball and his dunk I saw him do was very unimpressive. But a good amount of that comes from a lack of comfort and understanding of how to dribble, how to get that explosion with a ball. But we wouldn't say he's not an elite athlete. He's a GOAT athlete because he's the fastest guy ever.

If you asked me who's more athletic or perhaps better put the most complete athlete and you gave me the greatest gymnast and the greatest sprinter...I don't think you could pick one without testing them in areas outside of their sport.

They'd both be great athletes in their sport. But if you want to argue who's the greatest athlete, you'd need to test them in more than one event.

[Schiltzenberger]

All I see when I've watched NFL is a bunch of big fat guys pushing and shoving each other, then a guy that barely moves will throw the ball down field to, or hand off to, the only athletic players in the game. Running backs and wide receivers are athletic, as are the players that guard them, but all the others? lol
Yeah yeah, some aren't fat, some can bench press a truck..... but he just wrestles with another truck bench presser while the game goes on around them.....whoop de doo!

They have teams with what 50-60 players?.... A handful are proper athletic, the rest are just specialist at one thing. It really is a garbage game.

Imagine if the NBA stopped the game at every change of possession so you could switch your offense team with your defense team. Every team having 1 free throw shooter, he just sits on the bench until he gets called up for free throws.... that's not an athlete, that's not even a basketballer.
They have a goal kicker and a punter. Play a real sport, where your quarterback punts the ball, kicks goals and actually makes tackles. The big guys run with the ball instead of just wrestling.

Maybe I'm just ignorant because of stuff like this , I grew up playing Rugby League before I started playing basketball.

Watch on YouTube

[Ambrose]

The cone test isn't a good test of agility. But agility isn't just moving your whole body. It's moving your hands, your head, it's the ability to pump fake, it's the coordinator to do complex movements such as dribbling a ball while running.

Dribbling a ball has nothing to do with agility. That's coordination. You can dribble a ball while standing still, which by definition is not agility.

Defintion: the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness:

A CB or WR in football requires more agility than any position in the NBA. Running a route is a complex movement. Defending a moving target is a complex movement.

You can dribble without moving your hands and arms?

I certainly don't need to move my body quickly or easily to dribble a basketball. Running or defending a route is a far more agile movement than dribbling a basketball which is one reason why NFL players are more agile athletes.

[Ambrose]

All I see when I've watched NFL is a bunch of big fat guys pushing and shoving each other, then a guy that barely moves will throw the ball down field to, or hand off to, the only athletic players in the game. Running backs and wide receivers are athletic, as are the players that guard them, but all the others? lol
Yeah yeah, some aren't fat, some can bench press a truck..... but he just wrestles with another truck bench presser while the game goes on around them.....whoop de doo!

They have teams with what 50-60 players?.... A handful are proper athletic, the rest are just specialist at one thing. It really is a garbage game.

Imagine if the NBA stopped the game at every change of possession so you could switch your offense team with your defense team. Every team having 1 free throw shooter, he just sits on the bench until he gets called up for free throws.... that's not an athlete, that's not even a basketballer.
They have a goal kicker and a punter. Play a real sport, where your quarterback punts the ball, kicks goals and actually makes tackles. The big guys run with the ball instead of just wrestling.

Maybe I'm just ignorant because of stuff like this , I grew up playing Rugby League before I started playing basketball.

Watch on YouTube

You are. These "fat guys" are running under five second 40's and jumping 30 inches with elite acceleration and agility at 300+ lbs. Your average OL is significantly more athletic than any regular dude you'd come across and they are holding significantly more weight.

[azcatz11]

All I see when I've watched NFL is a bunch of big fat guys pushing and shoving each other, then a guy that barely moves will throw the ball down field to, or hand off to, the only athletic players in the game. Running backs and wide receivers are athletic, as are the players that guard them, but all the others? lol
Yeah yeah, some aren't fat, some can bench press a truck..... but he just wrestles with another truck bench presser while the game goes on around them.....whoop de doo!

They have teams with what 50-60 players?.... A handful are proper athletic, the rest are just specialist at one thing. It really is a garbage game.

Imagine if the NBA stopped the game at every change of possession so you could switch your offense team with your defense team. Every team having 1 free throw shooter, he just sits on the bench until he gets called up for free throws.... that's not an athlete, that's not even a basketballer.
They have a goal kicker and a punter. Play a real sport, where your quarterback punts the ball, kicks goals and actually makes tackles. The big guys run with the ball instead of just wrestling.

Maybe I'm just ignorant because of stuff like this , I grew up playing Rugby League before I started playing basketball.

Watch on YouTube

Yes

[SkyHookFTW]

The agility and overall athletic ability of NFL corners is insane.

The ability to change direction is first and foremost based upon hip flexibility. If you don't have it, you won't be a good NFL corner, if you become one at all. A WR knows where he is going; a cornerback must react to where that WR is going, and have the make-up speed to catch him once the WR has a step. Just watch clips of Deion Sanders for all-elite level of cover play. Quickness, the ability to achieve top speed in the shortest amount of time, is also key, as is the ability to time jumps to knock away passes.

Corners also must give run support, especially on designed sweeps to their side, as well as support for screens in their direction. This often puts them in the crosshairs of 320 pound guards, one who is pulling to that side of the field to take out either the nearest defender or fastest defender. Every game you can see examples of 185-195 pound corners getting steamrolled by massive offensive linemen. Corners have to shake it off and get ready for the next play. Getting hit in that manner sucks away badly-needed stamina for those players who have to cover speedy, shifty receivers. Well, in reality, being hit hard sucks away stamina for anyone, but it's worse for the little guys.

Oh yeah, for people who think pads are some sort of hit-proof protection...shoulder pads help to distribute the shock of contact across more area of your body. It doesn't prevent you from being hurt. I don't care how much protection someone has on--if you weigh 190 and someone weighing 320 slams you at full speed, you are going to feel it, probably for the next day or two.

Much respect to corners in the NFL.

[bisme37]

My vote goes to NBA players. NFL players are more specialized by position. Some guys are super athletic and some are not. And the super athletic ones only have to have specific types of athleticism that are required by the position they play. NBA players have to do it all and be athletic all-around, and go non-stop with fewer breaks between every play.

[Ambrose]

My vote goes to NBA players. NFL players are more specialized by position. Some guys are super athletic and some are not. And the super athletic ones only have to have specific types of athleticism that are required by the position they play. NBA players have to do it all and be athletic all-around, and go non-stop with fewer breaks between every play.

Could you elaborate on this?

[dhsilv2]

Dribbling a ball has nothing to do with agility. That's coordination. You can dribble a ball while standing still, which by definition is not agility.

Defintion: the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness:

A CB or WR in football requires more agility than any position in the NBA. Running a route is a complex movement. Defending a moving target is a complex movement.

You can dribble without moving your hands and arms?

I certainly don't need to move my body quickly or easily to dribble a basketball. Running or defending a route is a far more agile movement than dribbling a basketball which is one reason why NFL players are more agile athletes.

And running and changing direction while ALSO dribbling, requires more.

[bisme37]

My vote goes to NBA players. NFL players are more specialized by position. Some guys are super athletic and some are not. And the super athletic ones only have to have specific types of athleticism that are required by the position they play. NBA players have to do it all and be athletic all-around, and go non-stop with fewer breaks between every play.

Could you elaborate on this?

Well for example an offensive lineman and a wide receiver have to be athletic in completely different ways. And one will have elite athleticism in certain areas but may lack in others.

[SkyHookFTW]

All I see when I've watched NFL is a bunch of big fat guys pushing and shoving each other, then a guy that barely moves will throw the ball down field to, or hand off to, the only athletic players in the game. Running backs and wide receivers are athletic, as are the players that guard them, but all the others? lol
Yeah yeah, some aren't fat, some can bench press a truck..... but he just wrestles with another truck bench presser while the game goes on around them.....whoop de doo!

They have teams with what 50-60 players?.... A handful are proper athletic, the rest are just specialist at one thing. It really is a garbage game.

Imagine if the NBA stopped the game at every change of possession so you could switch your offense team with your defense team. Every team having 1 free throw shooter, he just sits on the bench until he gets called up for free throws.... that's not an athlete, that's not even a basketballer.
They have a goal kicker and a punter. Play a real sport, where your quarterback punts the ball, kicks goals and actually makes tackles. The big guys run with the ball instead of just wrestling.

Maybe I'm just ignorant because of stuff like this , I grew up playing Rugby League before I started playing basketball.

Watch on YouTube

Those "big fat guys" are not pushing and shoving each other. They are using elite footwork to gain leverage and position, They are using elite hand work to gain leverage and position. They are doing this against other very strong, quick men who are a hell of a lot quicker and faster than you can imagine a man that size can be.

Rugby and NFL are different, with different skill sets needed. I played linebacker in NCAA, but when I played club rugby for ten years after football I alternated between prop and lock. Even player the hooker position a few times. I can compare both sports. Both are fun. Some things in NFL are illegal in rugby--for example, downfield blocking as you know (interference). Many injuries occur on those high speed downfield blocking collisions in the NFL. Rugby requires better cardio from its big men, while NFL requires more sheer strength.

I wish high schools would play rugby in the U.S. It's safer to be honest. My daughter played in college for four years. Suffered three concussions. Not fun, so safe is relative I suppose.

[Ambrose]

You can dribble without moving your hands and arms?

I certainly don't need to move my body quickly or easily to dribble a basketball. Running or defending a route is a far more agile movement than dribbling a basketball which is one reason why NFL players are more agile athletes.

And running and changing direction while ALSO dribbling, requires more.

It really doesn't. Breaking a press at the line of scrimmage requires just as much if not more arm/hand movement while still moving quickly and changing direction in short bursts.

[Time for Change]

The NBA has a few elites that could compete with anyone, but the problem with the NBA is they screen out 95+% of the population based on height. 98% of males are under 6’3. Also the shorter you are the more skill you need, athleticism isn’t enough, you need to be a deadly shooter like Lillard or have playmaking like Paul.

[dhsilv2]

I certainly don't need to move my body quickly or easily to dribble a basketball. Running or defending a route is a far more agile movement than dribbling a basketball which is one reason why NFL players are more agile athletes.

And running and changing direction while ALSO dribbling, requires more.

It really doesn't. Breaking a press at the line of scrimmage requires just as much if not more arm/hand movement while still moving quickly and changing direction in short bursts.

if you say so...we'll just have to strongly disagree.