Nate Robinson wants to attempt something very few athletes have done: play in the NBA, and the NFL.
The 5-9 point guard was waived by the Pelicans all of two games into the season and hasn't found an NBA home since. The only three-time slam dunk contest champion in NBA history has not been effective in the past two seasons, though, and he appears ready to move on from the NBA.
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The path is football, the sport that originally brought Robinson to the University of Washington.
Robinson committed to Washingtonon a football scholarship, as a cornerback. He played in 13 gameshis freshman season, starting six, and recordedtwo interceptions and made 34 tackles. Now that his basketball career has essentially stopped, Robinson, 31, wants to pursue an NFL career.
"If you ask people around here, they know:Nate Robinson, hisbest sport is football," he said in a video posted by The Lead Sports. "People tell me all the time, if anybody can play football, it's you.
"For me, I don't think anyone's ever played basketball and football. I mean, you've got Deion Sandersto play football and baseball, Bo Jackson, why not me, Nate Robinson, be the first one to do it?"
There are players who have been drafted in the NBA and NFL (back when the NFL had double-digit draft rounds), but Bud Grant appears to be the first and only player who has played in both leagues. He was a first-round selection by the Eagles and a fourth-round pick by theMinneapolis Lakers. He played just two NBA seasons and averaged2.6 points per gamebut was a reserve on the Lakers'1950 championship team. In the NFL, Grant also only played two seasons, but he had a decent run in the CFL and eventually became a legendary coach with the Vikings.
Even though Robinson wouldn't be the first, he'd be the first in the modern era. His NBA friends,Jamal Crawford andGlenDavis, as well as his football friends,coachRickNeuheisel, tight endMarcedes Lewis and linebackerBrendon Ayanbadejo, all seem to have faith he can do it.
He still has some gas left in the tank, but there needs to be a team willing to take a chance on him for this dream to happen.
