There was a whole debate back in May when Austin Rivers claimed there are 30 NBA players who could play in the NFL. The conversation seemed to go on forever, with multiple former NFL players calling Rivers out for what they thought was a ridiculous statement.
Well, Puka Nacua is about to reignite that fire with a bold statement of his own.
As a guest on Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford’s “Nine and Dime” show, Nacua was asked whether going from the NFL to NBA or vice versa is easier. He left no doubt about where he stands on the debate.
“I think it would be so easy to transition from the NFL to NBA. Like, less than three months,” he said confidently. “Probably 3-6 months, I truly believe I could transition to play point guard or shooting guard for one of the (30) teams in the NBA.”
He then buried the Pistons with a haymaker.
“If I go to the Detroit Pistons, if that’s where I know I’m going, you’re going to play me 15 minutes. If I go to, like, the Lakers, no, I’m going to be the 15th man. Like, when we go 72-9, I’ll play the last game of the season.”
He’d make sure to celebrate appropriately after every bucket, too.
“I will have the best three-point celebrations you’ve ever seen. The handshakes? Let me get a handshake with LeBron!” he said.
As bold as Nacua’s claim is, Kupp actually agreed with him – to an extent.
“I agree with Puka in the preliminary stage of the question. I believe that’s the direction that’s easier,” Kupp said. “… There’s a very physical element moving from the NBA to NFL. There’s a very skill-oriented aspect to going the other direction.”
He continued, throwing some water on Nacua’s statement.
“I will say this, Puk: I think that you, specifically, could do it. Not in 3-6 months. But I do believe you could one day make it happen…in Lithuania,” Kupp said.
Nacua wants a shot with Stan Kroenke’s Nuggets, only asking for a workout and an opportunity.
“Make a pitch to Mr. Kroenke, you know? Send me up to the Mile High city, man. Give me a workout. Let me see what it looks like because I can use five fouls very, very well,” Nacua said with a laugh.
Nacua can actually ball a little bit. He played in the NBA celebrity game last year and threw down a few impressive dunks, showing he has hops.
His handles are solid, too, especially for a guy who doesn’t play basketball for a living.
It’s not going to happen, but Nacua might be one of the few guys in the NFL who could actually score a few buckets in the NBA.
