Today's 56th NFL Super Bowl Finals kick off with the Los Angeles Rams beating the Cincinnati Tigers 23-20 on aggregate, a game that has also received widespread attention from NBA players. In fact, there are many players in the NBA who have a relationship with rugby, and even played rugby in high school and college, and their preference for rugby is still above basketball. The following 13 NBA people have all been close to football. (In alphabetical order by player's last name)
1. Danny Angie
Angie is best known for her time as Celtic governor, when she was the head of the Celtics, through a plot to win the Green Army again after a gap of 22 years. Today, Angie is the Jazz's director of basketball. But in fact, long before entering the NBA, Angie was a three-way star and is still the only player in history to be named to the All-America High School Team in football, baseball and basketball. At one time, many NFL teams were eager for Angie, until the "Cardinal" persuaded angie to choose the NBA.
2. Glenn Davis
In November 2009, Big Baby revealed that his dream was to change careers to play rugby. Of course, there is a premise that he wants to become an NBA All-Star first. While attending Louisiana's Great Experimental High School, Davis was named a five-star high school student for his basketball skills and was named to the high school's football varsity team. Of course, Davis failed to do so. In the NBA for 8 seasons, he has never been associated with the All-Star.
3. Durant
Durant is also fascinated by rugby. During the 2011 NBA shutdown, the bored Durant played in a school football game in Stillwater, playing as a quarterback, sending four passes and three interceptions. In addition, Durant has played a football friendly with James.
In the 2012 offseason, when Durant came to Shanghai, he met his childhood idol, rugby superstar LaDainian Tomlinson, and played a game together. Seeing the idol, Durant became a small fan in seconds, he said that competing with the idol was his long-term dream, he played football when he was young, but unfortunately, the thin body made him choose to give up. It is reported that a company has also specially made NFL star cards for Durant.
4. Edwards
Timberwolves' 2020 pick, Edwards, also nearly chose the NFL. As a child, Edwards was picked up by a football coach in Atlanta. He quickly showed his all-around in football, playing at quarterback, running back and cornerback, and was named the best running back of his age in the nation at the age of 10. But Edwards later shifted his interest to basketball for two reasons, one of which was that he watched his brothers play basketball and "thought it was funny." "The second was that he had a fractured ankle that caused him to say goodbye to rugby. But to this day, rugby is still his favorite.
5. Draymond Green
Today Green also watched the Super Bowl live. While attending Michigan, Green trained with the school's football team and played in games as a near-end forward. A video of Green's game on the team can still be found on the Internet, but what catches the eyes of fans is Green's bizarre mistakes again and again, so angry that his teammates jump straight to his feet, and his opponents high-five and taunt. It seems that Green's choice of basketball was a wise move.
6. Iverson
Iverson's obsession with rugby is well known. In high school, he joined the varsity football team as a quarterback, while also playing in multiple positions and serving as a point guard on the varsity basketball team. As a result, in his senior year of high school, he led the team to the Virginia Rugby and Basketball High School League Championships, and was named the Football and Basketball High School Player of the Year by the Associated Press. The reason why he chose basketball later is said to be to obey his mother's wishes, because her mother believes that rugby is too strong to impact the body.
There have been rumors that Iverson cried and was dragged from the football field by his mother and forced into a basketball strip, and Iverson once thought that basketball was a sport played by girls. Years later, Iverson also said that his biggest regret was not being able to play rugby. After Iverson chose basketball, an NFL star also from Virginia is said to have said, "Our best quarterback in Virginia is no longer playing football." ”
7. James
James appeared at the Super Bowl with his wife today and danced in the game, which is quite conspicuous. While attending St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School, James was an outsider to the school's football team and received rugby scholarships from a number of colleges and universities, including the University of Notre Dame and the University of Ohio. In his sophomore season, James was named the best high school student in Ohio and led his team to the semifinals of the state league. But then, with a wrist injury, James said goodbye to rugby.
James was seriously considering playing in the NFL during the 2011 shutdown, when the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks were even ready to sign contracts. James later said he might have continued his football career if he had a great quarterback on his team in high school. Last October, NFL Kansas City Chiefs' near-end winger Travis Kelsey made a guest appearance on Redick's podcast and said James was 1,000 percent qualified for the near-end.
8. Kennard
In his early years at Franklin High School in his hometown, Kennard was also a basketball and rugby student, and both achieved good results, and he is said to be the star quarterback of the school's football team. What is more interesting is that Kennard, who is accustomed to playing basketball with his left hand, is accustomed to using his right hand when playing rugby, which can be described as "opening the bow left and right", and has excellent athletic talent.
9. Maddy
Maddie was also obsessed with football and baseball as a child, and basketball was not his favorite. It is said that the 9-year-old Maddy has won the state football championship and is a little famous. And the training of rugby also allowed Maddy to develop a good body, laying the foundation for his future success in the NBA. In September 2013, Maddy also tweeted that the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars wanted a trial and wanted to try a quarterback, but the other side ignored it.
10. Nate Robinson
The "little potato" choice of basketball is actually an accident. He comes from a rugby family and his father, Jacques Robinson, played in the NFL. In high school, Robinson was a "triple fix" in basketball, football, and athletics. He still holds the Washington State High School men's 110m hurdles record (13.85 seconds). Later, due to his lack of height, Robinson did not get a basketball scholarship from a college, but came to washington university on a football scholarship, and did not major in basketball until his sophomore year.
11. Rondo
Rondo also loved rugby as a child and played as a quarterback. Like Iverson, his rugby dreams were ruthlessly stripped away by his mother when he entered high school, citing the belief that Rondo was physically ill-equipped to pursue a career in rugby. There is also a theory that Rondo was "dissuaded" by the school football team because of his thin stature.
12. Jaylen Saggers
Sagas, the No. 5 show of 2021, is also a sports wizard. In high school, Sargas was a double basketball and rugby major. In 2018, he led the team to the 4A state football league championship. In his senior year of high school, he led his team to the final of the same tournament. He was also the first Minnesota player to win "Mr. Basketball" and "Mr. Football" in the same season and was named The Nation's Athlete of the Year.
Sargas also came from a family of sportsmen. His uncle Terrell has won the Super Bowl twice. According to Sargas, he suffered when choosing basketball and rugby until his father, Larry, analyzed the pros and cons for him before he locked in basketball.
13. Ben Wallace
Unlike most of the players on this list, Big Ben seems to prefer basketball. When he was a high school in his hometown of Alabama, He was a sports all-rounder and was named to the state's best teams for basketball, football, and baseball.
There is also a small episode about Big Ben. Big Ben was originally going to join Auburn University in Alabama (Buckley's alma mater). At that time, he called his request to the school's rugby coaching staff "go both ways", meaning basketball and rugby double training, but the other side mistakenly thought that he was saying "both offensive and defensive". As a result, Auburn University only offered him a rugby scholarship, and he could not put down basketball and could only turn away. Later, people kept thinking: What would happen if Big Ben had stayed at Auburn University to play rugby? (Supine Braces/Hairy)