Former NFL wide-receiver James Jones went off on Austin Rivers for recently claiming that 30-40 NBA players could play in the NFL right now, but the same can’t be said about NFL players in the NBA.
“Austin Rivers, if you stepped on the field, homeboy, you wouldn’t make it. We know that right now because you barely made it in the NBA.”
“I see 11 seasons, seven different teams, top 10 pick, I see averaging nine points a game over your career, two rebounds, two assists over your career, top 10 pick. You know what that sounds like to me? In the streets, we call you a bust, homeboy.”
.@89JonesNTAF taps into his inner Kendrick Lamar & responds to Austin Rivers. 👀
“You're 6’4 200 pounds, maybe you should’ve tried football. You might’ve had a better career homeboy, because basketball wasn’t your career from what I’m reading right here.” pic.twitter.com/s3AKsGqPSy
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) May 9, 2024
Rivers’ take on NFL players aspiring to be like NBA players was quite scathing and discussed points about the personal lives of these players which definitely would upset former and current NFL players.
“Where the best athletes in the world are, that’s us. I can take 30 players right now in the NBA and throw them in the NFL. You cannot take 30 NFL players and put them in the NBA. There’s a reason why hip-hop artists, when they rap, compare themselves to ballers. They’re not talking about footballers. They’re talking about basketball players. There’s a reason why all the girls that we didn’t get down with, the NFL players usually end up dating them later. They come to us first, bro. We set the culture.”
Rivers responded to Jones’ on social media and attacked the player.
“Been just sitting back listening to the chatter. But I can’t help myself sometimes lol. James Jones… (the Packers guy) I have never heard of you. But listen here ya little meat head…fall back lol. Talking about “you barely made it in the NBA”… bro I was a lottery pick who has already played 11 years. You played 8/9 seasons in the NFL. Make it make sense. By your own logic you really barely made it. You sound salty.“
Rivers averaged 8.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in an 11-year career. He was a top high school recruit, played for a blue-blood in college, and was always NBA-bound. His NBA career didn’t live up to the billing, but Rivers earned his spot in the league on talent.
Charles Barkley Tells Austin Rivers To Backtrack
Austin Rivers’ take went viral and led to the Inside the NBA panel discussing his comments. Charles Barkley vehemently disagreed with Rivers and said that NBA players can’t play football.
“Austin Rivers, you know I love you, we can’t play football. You’re doing a great job, but to say that we’ve got 30-40 NBA players who could go play in the NFL.”
After Shaquille O’Neal dismissed Barkley’s take and agreed with Rivers, Charles explained the key differentiator between NFL and NBA players.
“Football is a grown-man sport. We’re soft.”
Chuck calls out Austin Rivers 😅 pic.twitter.com/uYF7HEJEBg
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 9, 2024
NBA players do have the physical tools to play specific positions in the NBA, with most players likening themselves to quarterbacks or wide receivers. There definitely are NBA players who could have been football stars if that’s what they chose to do.
O’Neal was an All-State player in high school, NFL teams were courting LeBron James after he started his NBA career, and Allen Iverson was projected to be an NFL Draft selection.
Ultimately, that’s not 30-40 players per generation that could. Football is a hard sport and athletic talent won’t be enough to enjoy a successful career in that league.
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