Better Athletes NFL or NBA players?

[JMac1]

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.

Obvious you have never played football before.

Trying running fast as you can and getting tackled by or tackling a 230 pound man that is running a 4.5 for 10 secs over and over again. Trying blocking or pass rushing during a two minute drill. Try covering wr's running down the field for 50 yds twice in a row as fast as you can.

You can loaf on a basketball court during a play, not in football. NFL skill players are in great shape! Even those guys in the trenches. You try wrestling a guy 60 times a game and see how much endurance it takes!

[JMac1]

Far as hops. Football. They don't even do a max vert, lol. Straight vert. Compare NFL players verts to NBA players, NBA players get blown out of the water.

Skill vs Skill is even in my eyes. Both sports develop skills through repetition. If one hasn't tried to play the other sport, it is a useless comparison.


Football by far.

[JMac1]

Lebron is the best athlete in the world IMO. So the NBA has the best top athlete. There are a lot of NBA players better than NFL and worse than. Bottomline, all of these guys are beasts.

[NBA Fan 1234]

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.

Obvious you have never played football before.

Trying running fast as you can and getting tackled by or tackling a 230 pound man that is running a 4.5 for 10 secs over and over again. Trying blocking or pass rushing during a two minute drill. Try covering wr's running down the field for 50 yds twice in a row as fast as you can.

You can loaf on a basketball court during a play, not in football. NFL skill players are in great shape! Even those guys in the trenches. You try wrestling a guy 60 times a game and see how much endurance it takes!

Don't forget all the added weight from the equipment, too.

Nick Chubb, RB for UGA, benched 390 and squatted 690 as a senior in HS at a weightlifting competition. He ran the 100m dash in 10.69, 200m dash in 21.83, and probably has a 40 yard dash time around a 4.5 + a 40 inch vertical. Oh, and he power cleaned 395 LBS in HS.



He did all of that while he was in HS at 220lbs. That is scary and he is a freak athlete.

[miltk]

football players are more versatile in multiple sports. basketball players are required to do more things in a game.

so i think football players are better "athletes". bball players are also limited by their size. pretty much the only other thing they can do is play volleyball

[Jkam31]

Lebron is the best athlete in the world IMO. So the NBA has the best top athlete. There are a lot of NBA players better than NFL and worse than. Bottomline, all of these guys are beasts.

Ever heard of Calvin Johnson?

Dude is 6'5 240 ran a 4.35 unprepared laser time. That's olympic speed lebron isn't running a laser 40 in under 4.55. Calvin had an 11.7 broad jump which is insane and he had a 42" standing vertical STANDING. Derrick Rose had a 42" running vertical the great Zach LaVine had a 44" running vert he beats Calvin's standing vert by 2".


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[Hero]

NBA and it's not even close.

I can't believe you guys watch games and can think otherwise.

[hype_2004]

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

Nope the discussion has always been PURE UNADULTERATED ATHLETIC ABILITY the innate physical ability of some individuals to have it better than other since birth, that is to be explosive/powerful/quick and agile in running/jumping/lifting. YOU are talking about so-called overall athletic abilities that are acquired through specific training and repetition.

[hype_2004]

Lebron is the best athlete in the world IMO. So the NBA has the best top athlete. There are a lot of NBA players better than NFL and worse than. Bottomline, all of these guys are beasts.

Ever heard of Calvin Johnson?

Dude is 6'5 240 ran a 4.35 unprepared laser time. That's olympic speed lebron isn't running a laser 40 in under 4.55. Calvin had an 11.7 broad jump which is insane and he had a 42" standing vertical STANDING. Derrick Rose had a 42" running vertical the great Zach LaVine had a 44" running vert he beats Calvin's standing vert by 2".


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How about Marquise Goodwin, 4.27 40, 6.69 60 meters, 10.24 100 meters HS, 27'4 feet PB just placed 2nd in the Toronto Pan am games, world junior champion in long jump, the best and probably the only 2 sport athlete in Pro-sports and he will have another chance to medal in Rio as the Bills gave him the green light to participate in the off-season.

[Dupp]

A lot of delusion itt. Nfl players do like 30 seconds work then get 5 minute breaks. It's not even top 50 aerobic sport.

It's like rugby with 80% less gameplay and 80% more rest time.

Nfl players obviously much more impressive athletes than rugby players but not elite aerobic athletes by any stretch I the imagination.

Extreme fatigue isn't a factor in the sport like many other sports. Soccer, tennis, boxing etc etc.

[DrCoach]

Football players only play one side of the ball where basketball players have to play both.

The training is also different, football players lift all day to get bigger and stronger whereas Bball players traditionally do not

[Yoshun]

A lot of delusion itt. Nfl players do like 30 seconds work then get 5 minute breaks. It's not even top 50 aerobic sport.

It's like rugby with 80% less gameplay and 80% more rest time.

Nfl players obviously much more impressive athletes than rugby players but not elite aerobic athletes by any stretch I the imagination.

Extreme fatigue isn't a factor in the sport like many other sports. Soccer, tennis, boxing etc etc.

Just say you don't like football and/or have never played it and leave it at that.

[Liver_Pooty]

To be completely honest, and I don't even watch the sport, but I think Soccer players are better athletes than either of the two.

I also think that Olympic wrestlers are better athletes.

[Dupp]

A lot of delusion itt. Nfl players do like 30 seconds work then get 5 minute breaks. It's not even top 50 aerobic sport.

It's like rugby with 80% less gameplay and 80% more rest time.

Nfl players obviously much more impressive athletes than rugby players but not elite aerobic athletes by any stretch I the imagination.

Extreme fatigue isn't a factor in the sport like many other sports. Soccer, tennis, boxing etc etc.

Just say you don't like football and/or have never played it and leave it at that.

I don't like soccer either but facts are facts.

Also me or you playing football is not comparable to a proffessional athlete doing the same.

[SkyHookFTW]

Here is another way of looking at this. How many NFL players played basketball in college? Quite a few...you can make a fairly long list. How many NBA players played football in college? Very few, if any.

[SkyHookFTW]

A lot of delusion itt. Nfl players do like 30 seconds work then get 5 minute breaks. It's not even top 50 aerobic sport.

It's like rugby with 80% less gameplay and 80% more rest time.

Nfl players obviously much more impressive athletes than rugby players but not elite aerobic athletes by any stretch I the imagination.

Extreme fatigue isn't a factor in the sport like many other sports. Soccer, tennis, boxing etc etc.

Just say you don't like football and/or have never played it and leave it at that.

I don't like soccer either but facts are facts.

Also me or you playing football is not comparable to a proffessional athlete doing the same.

You have obviously ever played football at a high level.

[SkyHookFTW]

Just say you don't like football and/or have never played it and leave it at that.

I don't like soccer either but facts are facts.

Also me or you playing football is not comparable to a proffessional athlete doing the same.

You have obviously never played football at a high level.

[EasternHeretic]

So is JJ Watt a Better Athlete than Westbrook?

[F-Stop]

This discussion is crazy ...
1st you cannot compare combine results for NBA 18-20yr olds vs NFL 21-23yr olds. The NFL won't allow younger players in b/c they generally don't have a mature enough body for the game.

2nd you cannot compare 70 10 second plays with 30 seconds of rest between each play to 2-3 minutes of continuous running and mental focus.

[Braggins]

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.

This is one of the best posts in this thread.