In the world of professional sports, especially in the United States, there’s always been an ongoing debate about which athletes could seamlessly transition from one sport to another without missing a beat. Whether it’s going from the NBA hardwood to the NFL gridiron, or the other way around, the imaginary conversations have been floating around for decades. Some names always make the list, with the most popular being LeBron James. Back in 2011, he even had legitimate offers to join the NFL and reportedly gave the idea some serious thought. Thankfully for the sport of basketball, King James stuck with the orange bouncing ball instead of running around with a pigskin.
However, according to Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson, those conversations are nothing more than just barbershop talk. In his eyes, there’s simply no chance that any NBA player could walk into an NFL locker room and survive the physical demands of that sport.
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“People always say this, you know, when talking about transitioning from basketball to football or from football to basketball… I think it’d be impossible for either, honestly,” Amen pointed out. “Like, I don’t think there is anybody in the NBA that could go play in the NFL right now.”
Could there be someone who could make the jump?
To be fair, Thompson makes a good point. Basketball, especially in its modern form, has shifted away from the bruising physicality that once defined the game. With pace, spacing and perimeter shooting taking center stage, the physical battles under the rim aren’t what they used to be in the 1990s. On the other hand, football thrives on toughness that cannot be replicated on the hardwood.
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Sure, there are a handful of guys in the NBA who indeed look like they could strap on pads and hold their own. Someone like Anthony Edwards, with his athletic build and fearless mentality, or Jimmy Butler, who just loves to get physical on both ends of the floor. However, even the very best would need some serious preparation before just jumping into the regular game.
Amen doubled down on that idea but did admit there’s one player who, at least physically, passes the eye test.
“You know who would be good at football? Cam Whitmore. He looks like a football player right now. He has the size, athletic, speed…” the Rockets youngster added.
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Amen and Ausar could do it
Ironically enough, if there’s anyone in the NBA built like they could pull it off, it might just be Amen himself, or even his twin brother, Ausar. Both stand out as freakish athletes who could translate well into any sport.
But Amen has already proven that he belongs where he is. In just his second season with the Rockets, he put together a breakout campaign, earning All-Defensive Team honors while even making a late run at Defensive Player of the Year consideration.
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The sky is the limit for the soon-to-be 23-year-old guard, and if Houston continues building around its young core, the Rockets won’t just be seen as an exciting up-and-coming squad, but a legitimate problem in the West.
Throw in the addition of Kevin Durant this offseason, and suddenly, Thompson is focused on the only playing field that matters to him at the moment — the basketball court.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.