- Michael Phelps revealed Shaquille O’Neal became a better swimmer after working on it
- Phelps claimed that NBA players could get good at swimming over time
- NBA players frequently partake in other sports during the offseason such as golf
There is no doubt that every sport requires a different kind of approach from an athlete when it comes to preparation and focus in training. Still, some things are applicable to multiple sports.
Recently, swimming legend Michael Phelps suggested that NBA players could eventually get good at swimming after working out with Shaquille O’Neal. However, Phelps noted that he did not know exactly how good they could become.
“It’s a completely different sport. I watched Shaq come a long way after working with him for one week when we did Shaq versus and it makes me believe that their body awareness is there,” Phelps said. “I think over time they could get good but I don’t know how good it could be.”
NBA players transitioning from hoops to swimming requires endurance.
During Scoop B Talks Michael Phelps told me why Shaq was once ahead of the class.
“I’ll say Shaq came a long way,” says @MichaelPhelps.
Full EP via @BovadaOfficial➡️ https://t.co/JQ8khwOL5c pic.twitter.com/kxvyWHfbr2
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) September 15, 2023
It is fair to assume that most athletes picked their sport for a reason, and it is unlikely that NBA players would be able to become professional swimmers. With that being said, it is quite possible that they could become highly proficient at swimming, enough to say that they can compete in non-professional events.
LeBron James Once Compared His High School Football Playstyle To Randy Moss
Aside from Shaquille O’Neal, there are definitely some other NBA players that are good or were good at a different sport than basketball. LeBron James was known for being an elite football player during his high school days. Once, James compared his high school football playing style to legendary receiver Randy Moss, noting that both have elite catching ability.
“I would say, I resembled kinda Randy Moss. His ability to be his height, but be able to run past anybody with that speed. And still be able to catch passes in the paint as well, or in the interior as they call it in football. In between the lines.”
Ultimately, LeBron James picked the right sport for himself, as he is an NBA legend. Still, it is interesting to imagine him as an NFL player. Though it is unlikely that he would have had the same success as he has had on the basketball court, James’ athleticism and natural talent suggest that he could have been a decent football player at the very least.
J. R. Smith Revealed That Shooting Touch Translates To Golf
Another sport that is popular among NBA players is golfing. A lot of players play golf in their offseason, and once, J. R. Smith explained that basketball is similar to golf, noting that his shooting touch translates to the other sport.
“Being a shooter, my touch [translates to golf]. You have to be able to recreate some of the same shots over and over and over again. And have different shots in your arsenal. For me, I liked to shoot off balance,” he said. “So I used to lean left, right, forward, back, off one leg. Left leg, right leg. And in golf we got sidehill, downhill, uphill. So many different ways to play the shots. For me it just makes it easier.”
It is true that in golf, one has to hit a variety of different shots consistently. It makes sense that players like Smith and Stephen Curry love golf, as it presents some similar challenges to NBA shooting. It is clear that NBA players can become proficient in other athletic activities, and we’ll see how many of them pick up other sports in the future.
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