Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Larry Nance Jr. Says He Would Leave Basketball “In A Heartbeat” To Follow His True Passion
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Cleveland Cavaliers News & Analysis > Larry Nance Jr. Says He Would Leave Basketball “In A Heartbeat” To Follow His True Passion

Larry Nance Jr. Says He Would Leave Basketball “In A Heartbeat” To Follow His True Passion

Larry Nance Jr. reveals his true passion is not really basketball, and he would leave it "in a heartbeat" if he got the chance to follow it.

Chaitanya Dadhwal
Aug 22, 2025
4 Min Read
Share

Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

For Larry Nance Jr, investing in the English Premier League was never about diversifying assets or becoming more relevant to a new section of the global audience. For him, it was all about following his true passion.

His passion for soccer runs so far that he recently admitted that if he could’ve traded his basketball talents for a soccer career, he would do it in a heartbeat.

“I’m good at basketball, that’s the reason I play it, but like my true passion is really like, if i could take my talent in basketball and put it in another sport I’d give it up for soccer in a heartbeat,” Nance Jr said on the latest episode of Brian Windhorst and the Hoops Collective.

Larry Nance Jr has had a decent NBA career being a solid forward-center. He was drafted by the Lakers, traded to the Cavaliers, followed by stints at the Trail Blazers, the Pelicans, and the Hawks before ending up with the Cavaliers once again. But he’s never been in the same conversation with the likes of LeBron James or Kevin Durant.

Off the field, though, he’s part of a small group of NBA players who also have a stake in soccer teams, including James and Durant. So he’s in elite company there.

The Cavaliers forward-center has had a minority stake in the Premier League team Leeds United for the past three years, along with TJ McConnell. These have been exceptional years for the team as they have been promoted to the Premier League last week itself. In fact, Nance Jr was in this interview right after they cemented their spot.

There is a relegation/promotion system in the Premier League, which means the bottom three teams every year go to the second division, and the top 3 teams from lower divisions get promoted to the Premier League after proving themselves.

Thus, for Nance Jr, this is a special moment in his journey and bond with soccer. Despite his father being an NBA player himself, for the first 14-15 years of his life, Nance Jr exclusively played soccer, and only when he grew too big to be anywhere on the soccer field except the goal post, he decided to pursue other avenues.

“It was actually basketball that was late in my life. I played soccer from the moment I could. My friends played, so as a kid, that’s what I wanted to do. You know, I played soccer for 15-14 years of my life and then eventually got too big and they tried to put me in goal,” Nance Jr said on the podcast.

Being sent to the goal means becoming a goalkeeper who is an integral member of the team, but the entire job is to stop the ball from going in. So neither does he get a chance to dribble nor attack the opponent’s goal at any point.

In basketball, on the other hand, Nance Jr got to run up and down and play both defense and offense. But self-admittedly, it is still not enough to satiate the hunger and passion he has for soccer that he’s now going to live through his role as a minority owner of the Leeds United team.

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Cleveland Cavaliers ArchiveLarry Nance Jr
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByChaitanya Dadhwal
Chaitanya Dadhwal is an NBA Analyst and Columnist at Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. He fell in love with basketball in 2018 after seeing James Harden in his prime. He joined the sports journalism world in 2021, one year before finishing his law school in 2022. He attended Jindal Global Law School in Sonipat, India, where his favorite subject was also Sports Law.He transitioned from law to journalism after realizing his true passion for sports and basketball in particular. Even though his journalism is driven by his desire to understand both sides of an argument and give a neutral perspective, he openly admits he is biased towards the Houston Rockets and Arsenal. But that intersection of in-depth analysis and passion helps him simplify the fine print and complex language for his readers.His goal in life is to open his own sports management agency one day and represent athletes. He wants to ensure he can help bridge the gap in equal opportunity for athletes across various sports and different genders playing the same sport.
Previous Article Exploring Knicks Trade Scenario To Reunite With Donte DiVincenzo
Next Article Knicks, Pistons Lead Race For Malik Beasley As He Gets Exonerated From Gambling Investigation
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) talks with reporters during media day at the Auerbach Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Boston Celtics News & Analysis

“Been A War Out There” – Payton Pritchard On Being Bloodied During Celtics Training Camp

October 4, 2025
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks News & Analysis

Giannis Antetokounmpo Opens Up On His Legacy Ahead Of New Season

October 4, 2025
Jimmy Butler
Golden State Warriors News & Analysis

Jimmy Butler Compromised For Lakers Game After Latest Injury Setback

October 4, 2025
Chris Paul
Los Angeles Clippers News & Analysis

Chris Paul Sets The Record Straight On NBA Retirement Plans

October 4, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?