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Best soccer players on NBA: Nash, and then probably all the brazilian players
Best football players from NBA rosters
By David Thorpe
Scouts Inc.
Archive
Scouts Inc. NBA analyst and longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers season-ticket holder David Thorpe eyes NBA rosters for NFL talent.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insid...vid&id=2742647
My editors and I started talking about which NBA players would make good football players, and they asked me to come up with my own "team." So, as you prepare for Super Bowl XLI, take a second to imagine the kind of havoc some of these guys would wreak on the football field.
On offense, we wanted skilled players for the skill positions. We're running a one-back set so we can spread the field with our athletes at receiver and tight end.
On defense, it's all about athleticism with a mean streak -- tough guys who can get to you in a hurry. We'll blitz often with one of the linebackers or a safety, and we have an "Answer" for QBs who try to air it out deep.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Jason Kidd
The triple-double king has the three ingredients of a great quarterback: He can run, pass and lead. Kidd still has plenty of juice left in the tank. Just beat out Steve Nash, partly on size.
Tailback: Dwyane Wade
Changes gears and explodes through cracks like a bigger Marshall Faulk, but can make you miss with his twists and spins. He is the master at finishing (long runs, in this case).
Tight end: Amare Stoudemire
A nightmare matchup for an LB thanks to his speed and vertical, plus he has "hands for days." Picture the Chargers' Antonio Gates, who played hoops at Kent State, but six inches taller.
Wide receiver: Mike Miller
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is the perfect possession receiver on this team of stars.
Wide receiver: Leandro Barbosa
This speed demon can stretch any defense, and he is tough enough to make the catch in the middle, too.
Wide receiver: LeBron James
Think Michael Irvin, then add serious height and 20 pounds. His combo of speed and size makes him the go-to guy on this offense.
Left tackle: Reggie Evans
Kidd wants the meanest "big ugly" to protect his blind spot, and Evans has the long arms and the disposition of a great bodyguard.
Left guard: Carlos Boozer
Boozer's agility and speed make him lethal as a pulling guard. His massive frame will pave the way for some great sweeps.
Center: Chris Kaman
Kaman's a footwork master, and he comes from an underrated football conference.
Right guard: Eddy Curry
This big guy has developed into a nice power player, giving Wade the perfect lead for his power runs off tackle.
Right tackle: Danny Fortson
We needed some nastiness on the strong side to keep people out of Kidd's face on rollouts.
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DEFENSE
Free safety: Trevor Ariza
The fastest guy on the field, he can make up for any mistakes made in front of or behind him.
Strong safety: Chauncey Billups
Rugged and smart, will not fall for play-action passes. Also has the ability to knock down big shots.
Cornerback: Allen Iverson
He'd be playing on Sundays if he weren't such a gifted scorer. He's a former all-state high school quarterback and our best defender on the gridiron.
Cornerback: Nate Robinson
A mismatch at 5-9, but speed and vertical make up for lack of size (just ask Yao). Won't back down from anyone (see MSG brawl). And boasts experience (played DB for Washington Huskies).
Middle linebacker: Ron Artest
And you thought Butkus was a maniac …
Outside linebacker: Ruben Patterson
Our blitzing specialist, he is very quick in tight spaces and plays with incredible energy.
Outside linebacker: Kobe Bryant
Relentless and will defend both the run and the pass -- our version of Derrick Brooks.
Defensive end: Dwight Howard
Super-quick big man. "Too Tall Dwight" will line up on the strong side and force the QB to throw over his massive reach.
Defensive tackle: Brian Cardinal
A bit undersized but will make things happen so our big dogs can eat. He's used to getting beat up and coming back for more.
Defensive tackle: Craig Smith
Maybe the strongest man, pound-for-pound, on our team.
Defensive end: Ben Wallace
The Smiths, Bubba and Bruce, were big and quick, but this cat is on a whole other level. Also a monster on special teams blocking kicks.
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SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter: Manu Ginobili
The Argentinean was born to kick, has great footwork and focus, and lives for the pressure moment. You can trust him in a field-position battle.
Kicker: Darrell Armstrong
A long-distance specialist nowadays. Was a kicker at D-II Fayetteville State, where he connected from 48 yards out.
Punt returner: Earl Boykins
Any guy crazy enough to think he can play in the NBA at 5-foot-5 is uniquely qualified to return punts ... plus he has the quickness too. Iverson can help us out here too.
Kick returner: Monta Ellis
The pride of Mississippi has the jets to be a gamebreaker every time he touches the rock.
COACHING STAFF
Defensive coordinator: Gregg Popovich
A master motivator who will use the tremendous team speed and nasty at udes to create as much havoc as the '85 Bears did with their "46" defense.
Offensive coordinator: Don Nelson
With every trick in the book, Nellie will create and take advantage of mismatch opportunities for his freakishly athletic and tall skill players.
Coach: Pat Riley
The reigning champ gets the honor of coaching this team of stars, as Riley is just the man to get these athletes to play physically. He'll even look good in a windbreaker.
Best soccer players on NBA: Nash, and then probably all the brazilian players
Earl Boykins would get killed at punt returner. I think Charlie Ward should be on this team as well. Wasn't he a heisman winner? Besides that, all we need is a holder from Dallas to complete a perfect choke-job.
What a wierd article.
makes me think
Gay.
AI was a stud quarterback in High School.
No Shaq at defensive tackle? Are you kidding me? QBs would get every pass deflected
Current active players or all? I can think of a few old timers who would prob do some damage:
Wes Unsel
Truck Robinson
Choc. Thunder - DD
Michael Cage
Dave Corzine
Dwayne Wade was a reciever in high school as well, and your right Alvarez, Ive seen highlights of A.I. from high school, think Vick with just as strong of a arm
I think punching below the belt is also illegal in the NFL.
Matt Barnes was a high school All-American Wide Receiver and he doesn't make the list? He even led the nation in TD's in 1998.
Lame.
I was wondering why the left AI out I heard his football accomplishments could have gotten him to D1.
This is not even close. Lebron would have been maybe the best receiver of all-time.
In his words, which I believe, he would have been Randy Moss and TO put together.
True, Barnes was going to play in the NFL next year if he didn't make an NBA team this year.
Probably, he won a state championship as a QB.
He could have played in the NFL
AI was a stud football player too.
After watching the video I remember how good of a safety he was, he once intercepted 7 balls in one game.
He looked ridicuoloso on the video, I almost wish he had gone with football.
Well if he wouldn't have almost beat someone to death in that bowling alley with a chair, then he probably would have had a choice between football and basketball professionally. But since John Thompson of Georgetown was the one who went to bat for him with the Governor, etc, he didn't have much choice but to play basketball there.
Charlie ward was a great QB in college ; I believe he was drafted by an NFL team
Yes, but the NFL does steroid testing.
i've always thought that kevin garnett would have made the best goalie this world has ever seen.
Or Shawn Marion^^^^
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