Michael Jordan famously traded in his glittering NBA career to play baseball during the 90s, and now Anthony Edwards is eyeing a similarly seismic switch in sporting disciplines with football in his sights.
Speaking on the latest episode of ESPN’s Cover Story, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard told Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson he wants to try and pursue a career in the NFL should he win an NBA Championship in the coming years.
The Timberwolves face the Los Angeles Lakers in their opening game of the new NBA season on Tuesday night, with Edwards poised to come up against the father-son duo of LeBron James and Bronny James.
LeBron is, in fact, among the pool of NBA players who might well have pursued a career in football, having been recruited by the likes of Notre Dame after playing wide receiver in high school.
“Football players can’t go play basketball. No way. I told my buddies, I said ‘if I win a ring in the next three to four years, I’m going to play football’,” said Edwards.
“No you’re not,” replied Vikings star Jefferson, the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson catches a 25-yard touchdown against Detroit
Edwards had outlined his belief he could become the first to play in both the NBA and NFL during a conversation with comedian Marco Summers on his talk show last year.
The two-time All-Star also previously suggested he could have made it to the MLB having played multiple positions in baseball as a child.
Bo Jackson is among the most notable multi-sport athletes in history having played for the Los Angeles Raiders in the NFL and for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and California Angels in the MLB as the only professional athlete to be named an All-Star in two of the major North American sports.
Mickey McCarty was also selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL-AFL draft in 1968, as well as by the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and MLB’s Cleveland Indians.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes goes on a dazzling run for a gain of 33 yards during their Week Seven game against the San Francisco 49ers
Jordan headed to Minor League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox after retiring from the NBA ahead of the 1993 season in the wake of winning three straight titles with the Bulls. He went on to play 127 regular-season games for the White Sox’s Double-A affiliate team Birmingham Barons and would return to the Bulls in 1995 before winning three more Championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
No player has ever managed a switch from professional basketball in the NBA to the NFL, and it doesn’t feel likely to happen any time soon.
Edwards has established himself as one of basketball’s most dynamic young stars since becoming the first overall pick out of Georgia in 2020. He averages 22.9 points, 4.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds per game across 302 outings over four seasons.
Week Eight begins Thursday night when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Los Angeles Rams from 1.15am in the early hours of Friday, live on Sky Sports NFL; Also stream with NOW.
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