Better Athletes NFL or NBA players?

[inDe_eD]

So don't you think if you can play in either the NBA or the NFL, you're going to choose the NBA?

[inDe_eD]

I would be interested to see a study about the average post-career quality of living for all the different sports as well.

[HINrichPolice]

Honestly, who has ever seen an NFL player play basketball and say to themselves, "wow, what an athlete!"?

Did anyone view Julius Peppers as an elite athlete while playing basketball for the Tar Heels? There are a ton of NBA players that would match Julius Peppers as an athlete on the hardwood.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ET31kQFMuc[/youtube]

Now imagine how someone like Blake Griffin would look on the football field (in terms of athleticism).


Another example. And of course it's not the best piece of evidence, but whenever Randy Moss or Terrell Owens would play in say a charity game, there were never hints of being an elite athlete. You'd at least expect to see them try a flashy dunk or so here and there just to show off what they can do.


If you take skill out of the equation, I don't see why elite NBA athletes like Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Nate Robinson, Derrick Rose, LeBron James, ect couldn''t match up well with similar sized, elite NFL players.

[HINrichPolice]

Having said that, on average, there's no doubt that NFL players are more athletic. I don't even think that's a debate. However, if you take the elite athletes of both leagues, I think it becomes an actual discussion.

[mopper8]

Jimmy Graham was not an elite athlete in his college basketball program, but he certainly seems pretty damn athletic on a professional football team...

[Jmonty580]

Hard to compare the 2 imo. NFL is more about brute strength and speed though and a little less skill then basketball. I think alot more basketball players could be successfull NFL players then the other way around. Football has more monsters though, Guys who are 6'3ish and 260 something and solid muscule, you dont find that in the NBA.

[CBB_Fan]

Here are some positional comparisons:

Sub 6' to ~6'3":
NFL: RBs (185-265), Corners (195-210), Safeties (190-230), Small QBs and Wide Receivers (190-220)
NBA: Point Guards (185-220)

6'4" to 6'7":
NFL: Large QBs (220-260), Large Wide Receivers (195-235), Tight Ends (240-260), some DBs (260+), O-line (280+)
NBA: SGs (205-225) and SFs (235-255)

Over 6'7":
NFL: Rare TEs, QBs, DTs, DEs,
NBA: All PFs and Centers, a large number of SFs

How many NFL players are 6'10, bench 350, can run for forty minutes at a time, have a 35" vertical, and weigh only 260 lbs? None. And that is just Dwight Howard, who probably is not as athletic or large as guys like Shaq or Wilt Chamerblain were. They don't have any NFL comparisons, and the NBA has no guys like Larry Allen.

Comparing NBA SGs and SFs is equally difficult. Do you think a guy like Roethlisberger is comparable to Kobe or Ray Allen? The NBA players are built for lateral quickness and endurance, and generally give up 30-60 pounds to comparable NFL players. An NFL TE would be gassed or DB would be gassed before halftime in the NBA, and they aren't really low endurance players in the NFL.

Comparing PGs to most NFL positions is hard to do because PGs in the NBA aren't necessarily athletic freaks. They can be, but the most important aspects for a PG are their mental knowledge, feel for the game, and skill, not the ability to explosively dunk on people. Guys that can do that are comparable to running QBs in the NFL, but Steve Nash is more like a pocket passer.

Realistically, the only overlaps would be QBs with PGs/SGs, and WRs/TEs with SGs/SFs. You even find some overlap between corners and safeties and the more athletic PGs. But you can't compare a guy like Shaq to anyone in the NFL or a guy like Larry Allen (max bench of 700+) to anyone in the NBA.

At the high end, I think the best athletes in the NBA are better than the best athletes in the NFL, because the list of requirements is so much longer. To be elite in the NBA, you need elite fine motor skills, endurance, height/weight, arm length, standing reach/wingspan, lateral quickness, and explosiveness. Even the best NFL players only need a subset of that list.

However, the average and worst NBA athletes are probably far below your average/worst NFL athletes (not counting punters and kickers). An average NBA center would post one of the worst 40yd splits in NFL history, and most players do not have the bench press prowess or straightline speed of NFL athletes. But guys like Lebron James, Jordan, Carter, Shaq, Chamberlain? Just look at Lebron:

His 40yd time in highschool was 40yd was 4.40, and he is probably faster now. He can bench up to 335, has a 40" vertical, and of course superb endurance and conditioning. Compare Lebron to an equally freaky athlete in the NFL (Megatron), and I think you'll find Lebron is probably the better athlete considering his height/weight. And you have guys like Karl Malone, Shaq, and Chamberlain that are athletic at heights and weight that just don't exist in the NFL.

[BubbaTee]

And the difference is that NFL guys train for months on end for the draft combine. They hire trainers to teach them how to do well of the specific drills and practice them over and over and over and over. NBA players wake up out of bed one day and go do the sprints and jump test. You just can take a comparison of the results at face value.

So because NFL players train to improve their athleticism, that should somehow count against them? If anything, it speaks to the much higher athletic standards the NFL has.

Seriously, think of the situation you're describing here:
- the physical standards of the NFL are so high that prospects have to hire trainers and spend months improving their physical attributes just to get drafted.
- Meanwhile, the NBA's physical standards are so low that a prospect can just roll out of bed, wipe the pizza crumbs off his shirt, put up poor results at the combine, and not have their draft stock harmed at all.

If getting into Harvard required a student to study 4 hours a night improving your academics, while getting into a state university meant the student didn't have to study at all, most would take that as a sign of Harvard having higher academic standards than the state university.

You do realized you completely killed you're argument? Studying longer for a test means you will do better on a TEST. If I do practice addition and subtraction problems until I'm blue in the face and then ace a test with those same problems that I studied, it does NOT make me smarter than the next guy who never even dare open the textbook but still got a "B+"on the same test.

NFL guys practice for months and months and months on the combine drills. NBA guys lollygag and do stupid John Wall dances all day and still put up good measurables.

If the guy studying learns algebra and geometry and trigonometry, then it does make him smarter than the non-studier who has more natural talent at arithmetic but never improves his mathematical abilities.

NBA guys only put up good measurables by NBA standards. By NFL standards they aren't anywhere close to a "B+". Gerald Green doing 7 reps of a 185-lbs bench press is not impressive by NFL standards, unless he's planning to be a kicker or a cheerleader.

NFL guys don't improve their physical attributes just for fun, they do it because it's necessary to survive in their sport. They can't get away with lollygagging and still be successful like NBA players can, because their sport's physical standards are that much tougher.

When Durant was at the combine he couldn't bench 185-lbs a single time. He still got drafted #2 and scored 20ppg as a rookie. A WR in the NFL who was so weak they couldn't bench 185-lbs a single time would have their draft stock destroyed, because they wouldn't even be able to get off the line of scrimmage in the NFL.

[SmoothLefty21]

This debate always cracks me up. It's NBA players and by a wide margin. When a run-of-the-mill college football player becomes one of the best players at his position in the NBA this can be come a discussion.

LeBron, Blake, etc would absolutely dominate the NFL. Hell even guys like Demar Derozan would be elite WR's. What NFL guy is going to come in and dominate the NBA? No one.

[SmoothLefty21]

When Durant was at the combine he couldn't bench 185-lbs a single time. He still got drafted #2 and scored 20ppg as a rookie. A WR in the NFL who was so weak they couldn't bench 185-lbs a single time would have their draft stock destroyed, because they wouldn't even be able to get off the line of scrimmage in the NFL.

You're putting all your stock in strength ? Just ignoring the fact that Durant is 6'11? Size plays an enormous role in this debate. 99% of the NFL is so short they wouldn't be able to get a jumper off in the NBA, no different than Durant not being able to get off the line of scrimmage.

[inDe_eD]

When Durant was at the combine he couldn't bench 185-lbs a single time. He still got drafted #2 and scored 20ppg as a rookie. A WR in the NFL who was so weak they couldn't bench 185-lbs a single time would have their draft stock destroyed, because they wouldn't even be able to get off the line of scrimmage in the NFL.

You're putting all your stock in strength ? Just ignoring the fact that Durant is 6'11? Size plays an enormous role in this debate. 99% of the NFL is so short they wouldn't be able to get a jumper off in the NBA, no different than Durant not being able to get off the line of scrimmage.

Not to mention that Durant was a stick and had freaky long arms. That makes a bench press exponentially more difficult.

[Respect My Mind]

Thread done calmed down since dudes started to point out how Julius Peppers (The BEST lineman in the NFL) was looking like Lonny Baxter when he played college basketball.

You can't run from the truth.

[Catchall]

Different types of athletes. No point comparing.

To play in the NBA, you have to be really really tall, have long arms, be able to run all day and be able to explode off the run.

Some NBA athletes could conceivably make it in the NFL though. No way a guy like Adonal Foyle couldn't play on someone's offensive line at 6'10" 300 lbs with long arms.

Karl Malone could probably have played tight end. Dennis Rodman could probably play a few positions.

[JimmyTD3]

NFL players.

NBA involves far more skill and coordination than NFL, which is more about raw speed and power. When I think of 'athlete' I associate it with size and speed, it's not fair to judge athletes by how much skill their sport involves.

In that sense, there is no one in the NBA as 'athletic' as Adrian Peterson, Terrell Owens, Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, etc.

The difference becomes more pronounced if you take height into consideration. NBA PG/SG's are not nearly the athletes of your average NFL player.

[Catchall]

Some of the NBA athletes are just incredibly quick laterally and explosive. If they had cleats, they'd cut even harder. I'm sure some NBA players could play corner back or even free safety. Think guys like Iverson or even Kendal Gill.

[richboy]

NBA I will tell you why.

1. Just look at the tape. Tony Gonzalez, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, Julius Peppers. On a basketball court they were nothing special athletically.

2.Football might be the most popular sport but among African Americans it still basketball. Meaning the majority of kids grow up playing basketball. If they aren't good enough to play at a high level of basketball they usually move on to football. Although basketball is more skill than football. Great athletes can still do a ton on the basketball court. The reality is those Peppers couldn't touch Blake Griffin in terms of athleticism which is why he playing football. If Blake was less athletic he probably be playing football.

3. Most players on a NFL field this isn't even a question Really only the corners and wide receivers are comparable to NBA athletes. There are a few great athletes at WR but would they look special next to NBA players. Would Julio Jones look all that athletic on a basketball court.

4.NBA players jump. Running and tackling is great. Running fast is great. Being strong is nice. But if you ask me to test someones athleticism there is one test that works across the board. Jumping and more importantly the ability to jump multiple times. You can work your entire body just by doing power jumps. NBA players constant jumping takes them to another level that makes them special.

[schaffy]

If you actually watched Peppers play at UNC, name me 3 better athletes in college basketball at the same time he played. He was an athlete playing ACC basketball with 0 skill. The fact that he was on the team and got any playing time at all was only because he was such a great athlete.

And to the poster above who seems to suggest that jumping is the measure of athleticism, I guess high jumpers are the best athletes in the world, because they jump the highest. Or what about guys who do the triple jump? Or does that not fit your argument?

Would Julio Jones look athletic on a bball court? I dont know, I've never seen him play. Would Adrian Peterson?

[Respect My Mind]

If you actually watched Peppers play at UNC, name me 3 better athletes in college basketball at the same time he played. He was an athlete playing ACC basketball with 0 skill. The fact that he was on the team and got any playing time at all was only because he was such a great athlete.

And to the poster above who seems to suggest that jumping is the measure of athleticism, I guess high jumpers are the best athletes in the world, because they jump the highest. Or what about guys who do the triple jump? Or does that not fit your argument?

Would Julio Jones look athletic on a bball court? I dont know, I've never seen him play. Would Adrian Peterson?

You can't be serious. There were way better athletes in basketball than Peppers, while he was playing.

Steve Francis
Corey Maggette
Chris Porter
Baron Davis
Shawn Marion

That's five right there off the top of my head. I could name a dozen more if I actually thought about it. Just face it man, you guy talk about how the NFL is one huge bastion of unapproachable supreme athleticism, yet the most dominant NFL defensive player of the last 10 years was "meh" on a COLLEGE basketball court athletically.

I don't buy it.

[inDe_eD]

If you actually watched Peppers play at UNC, name me 3 better athletes in college basketball at the same time he played. He was an athlete playing ACC basketball with 0 skill. The fact that he was on the team and got any playing time at all was only because he was such a great athlete.

And to the poster above who seems to suggest that jumping is the measure of athleticism, I guess high jumpers are the best athletes in the world, because they jump the highest. Or what about guys who do the triple jump? Or does that not fit your argument?

Would Julio Jones look athletic on a bball court? I dont know, I've never seen him play. Would Adrian Peterson?

You can't be serious. There were way better athletes in basketball than Peppers, while he was playing.

Steve Francis
Corey Maggette
Chris Porter
Baron Davis
Shawn Marion

That's five right there off the top of my head. I could name a dozen more if I actually thought about it. Just face it man, you guy talk about how the NFL is one huge bastion of unapproachable supreme athleticism, yet the most dominant NFL defensive player of the last 10 years was "meh" on a COLLEGE basketball court athletically.

I don't buy it.

Don't forget Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford, Michael Red, Tyson Chandler, Jason Richardson, Richard Jefferson, and Gerald Wallace. I'm sure there's a ton more as well.

[kabstah]

Saying Julius Peppers doesn't look athletic in the basketball court compared to NBA players isn't fair. There's only maybe a half dozen guys in NBA history that wouldn't get tossed like a rag doll trying to block Peppers at the line of scrimmage, because the two sports emphasize different attributes of athleticism. Basketball also puts a premium on height which is a disadvantage in terms of strength to mass ratio because muscle contractile strength depends on cross sectional area and not muscle length.

Under the classical definition of athletics, i.e. track and field, the NFL would dominate the NBA in everything except middle/long distance endurance races.