Austin Rivers shared a controversial take about NBA players in the NFL and it did not sit well with the football community at all.
“I can take 30 players right now in the NBA and throw them in the NFL,” Rivers said on The Pat McAfee Show. “You cannot take 30 NFL players and put them in the NBA.”
Former NFL players and current analysts completely disagreed with Rivers’ take, and roasted him in the process.
Former Super Bowl champion James Jones called out Rivers and labelled NBA players as ‘soft’.
“Austin Rivers, if you stepped on the football field homeboy, you wouldn’t make it,” Jones said on Speak on Fs1. “We know that right now, because you barely made it in the NBA.”
Future Pro Football Hall of Famer, JJ Watt, hit back at Rivers’ claims.
“You don’t got a job in either right now, go head and try it…” Watt posted on X.
He then followed up, admitting that he couldn’t play in the NBA.
“For the record, I could absolutely not play in the NBA. 6 hard fouls is about all I could give you and call it a day.”
Two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long also joined in on the roasting after he declared he was putting out an ‘Emergency Austin Rivers rant”.
Long pretty much said that NBA players are too spoilt and would struggle making the switch.
“We had three massage therapists for a team of 53,” Long said, recalling his tough 11 seasons in the league. “Y’all would lose your f***ing minds, dude.”
Long explained that practice conditions, coaching relationships and lack of load management are the major differences that NBA players would struggle to acclimatise themselves with.
NBA legend Charles Barkley also chimed in on the debate and said himself that NBA players are too soft to play football.
Chuck calls out Austin Rivers 😅 pic.twitter.com/uYF7HEJEBg
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 9, 2024
Other former NFL players were quick to shut down Rivers’ claims too.
NBA players wouldn’t last a training camp in the NFL
— Will Compton (@_willcompton) May 7, 2024
Somebody tell Austin Rivers: Football drills make Basketball players, not the other way around. https://t.co/NuDutgvqum pic.twitter.com/8fLIaomWkR
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) May 8, 2024
Looks like Rivers loses this one.
