Which NBA player would be the best decathlete ?

Les wrote:

NBA players are for the most part, all too tall. Ashton Eaton is 6' 1", 185 lbs. The average NBA player is around 6' 7". Someone once the described the decathlon as a running event for strong people. Most of the decathlon running events are sprints and NBA players are just too tall to get up to speed quickly. The only decathlon event where being an NBA player would be an advantage would of course be the high jump.

Just guessing, I would assume at least 1/3 of NBA players are under 6'5". There are plenty of NBA athletes in the 6' to 6'3" range, which is normal for decathlon athletes.

runn wrote:

I think Pro basketball players are among the best athletes in the world but- we had a 6'3 pentathlete (State Champ twice) and he had a hard time 3 stepping- actually had to chop his stride- that makes hurdles tough.

I also think they'd have a hard time with the shot and disc because of their height- just staying in the circle.

Pole vault might also present a challenge to some because of their height.

But, the "shorter" guys- they might do well.

Quite a few decent throwers are taller than 6'3"

I doubt any NBA player would be the best decathlete.

iguodala for real??

coach wrote:

runn wrote:

I think Pro basketball players are among the best athletes in the world but- we had a 6'3 pentathlete (State Champ twice) and he had a hard time 3 stepping- actually had to chop his stride- that makes hurdles tough.

I also think they'd have a hard time with the shot and disc because of their height- just staying in the circle.

Pole vault might also present a challenge to some because of their height.

But, the "shorter" guys- they might do well.

Quite a few decent throwers are taller than 6'3"

Many of the best average 6'5". One of the current top throwers, Majewski is 6'9"!

exactly.. wrote:

coach wrote:

Quite a few decent throwers are taller than 6'3"

Many of the best average 6'5". One of the current top throwers, Majewski is 6'9"!

The discus throwers are taller than the shot putters.

I always felt that guys like Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Charles Oakley and otherrs would have made great throwers.

coach wrote:

exactly.. wrote:

Many of the best average 6'5". One of the current top throwers, Majewski is 6'9"!

The discus throwers are taller than the shot putters.

I always felt that guys like Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Charles Oakley and otherrs would have made great throwers.

Dwight Howard in his prime would have been good. Blake Griffin as well.

By the time they got to 50 meters, an NBA player would already be winded and losing speed.

This is absolutely NOT true. I have a couple of friends who played in the NBA (one an All-Star). There is a massive difference between NBA basketball players and the guys you see in the YMCA or the outdoor courts. An NBA game is 30m "endless" sprint intervals. To give you an idea of how fast the NBA game is, Steve Nash can cover the entire court in just under the 4 seconds (with the ball). He literally ran the other guards into the ground or got them into foul trouble because they were hanging onto him. Elite coaches know basketball is a great cross-training tool and is filled with "athletes".

Alberto Juanterano

Andre Degrass

Damian Warner

Trey Hardee

Randy Moss

Calvin Johnson

Kevin Johnson

Danny Ainge

The 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist Christian Schenk was 6'7+ and 240 lbs. Jurgen Hingsen was also 6'7" and 242-245 lbs. Both can move and jump. Schenk had a 2.3X high jump. Hingsen had a 2.2X high jump. Both were decent pole vaulters.

Someone already mentioned Trey Hardee (World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist) was a basketball player.

Coach Tom Tellez and Carl Lewis have both stated the NBA is filled with potential decathletes and jumpers.

Tall, fast, and explosive guys try and play basketball or wide receiver in the US. The financial payout is so much greater than track. The NFL League minimum average is $435,000. The Top 150 US track and field athletes averaged $17,000 per year. The NBA's minimum average is $475,000 per year. No one makes the minimum.

Basketball and football have FULL scholarships. Very few males have full scholarships in track and even fewer will get it in the decathlon.

All of this

Randy Smith had potential

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Smith_(basketball)

No. basketball might have some jumpers but not decathletes. I doubt they have many of real jumpers either. So Trey Hardee incidentally played some basketball so that means basketball players must be perfect for the decathlon. You nutz? Someone like Hardee is an all around athletic freak. You don't see that in the NBA. I mean c'mon, Hardee can probably lift Lebron and twirl him above his head.

Obviously since Bolt played soccer before he became a track superstar, then there must be hundreds of soccer players that can run in the 9.50's?

Les wrote:

Andre Iguodala wrote:

I had a 6'8" HJ in high school and decent [~50] 400m speed

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody to beat me

Eaton, while being 5" shorter has a 6'11" HJ and 45.00 400m. Iguodala would not be competitive at the world class level. He would be totally discombobulated by the skill events like the pole vault and javelin.

What did Eaton jump in HS though? You’re comparing. Eaton’s lifetime PB Iggy’s HS PB as a second sport / stay in shape sport. It’s completely reasonable to think Iguodala, I’d be focused on HJ instead of basketball in HS, would better in HJ than Eaton ever was..

exactly.. wrote:

coach wrote:

Quite a few decent throwers are taller than 6'3"

Many of the best average 6'5". One of the current top throwers, Majewski is 6'9"!

I realize that- I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying it could be a problem for some.

The hurdles issue is real, even starting in the 100 would slow them down considerably.

Please re-read my post again.

Trey Hardee played basketball for his high school and did not know what the decathlon was. He was a pole-vaulter in high school for fun. There is a video interview explaining his basketball, pole vault, decathlon transition.

I also gave you a list of "proven" (Damien Warner - World Champion Silver; Olympic Bronze) and potential basketball players (Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss). I also listed "converted" basketball players to track who are legitimate world-class track and field medalist who have podium finished at the Olympics, Worlds, and Area Games ("El CAbello", Andre Degrasse).

I mentioned that basketball is a excellent form of cross-training and a great source for coaches looking for all-around athletes. Examples of Olympic and world-class athletes and teams that use basketball to cross-train and train their athletes are;

Ashton Eaton - Decathlete - Olympic Gold, Olympic Record Dec. WR Heptathlon.

Alexander Keralin - Olympic Gold wrestling

Soviet and Russian Wrestling Team

England Rugby World Cup Winners

1960s UTEP Track and Field Team - Bob Beamon was on this team

I gave examples of well-known and respected track and field authorities (Coach Tom Tellez and Carl Lewis) who have been very vocal about the "track talent" specifically, the jumping and multi-events, in basketball and in particular the NBA; Coach Tom Tellez in an interview even names athletes who he believes would do well in the decathlon.

Head Coach Shiela Burrell of San Diego State University, has stated that when she is looking for multi-event athletes, she looks at basketball players and advises others to do the same in a presentation she gave a few years ago.

I also stated that my friends who played in the NBA (one was an NBA ALL-Star) are phenomenal athletes. They are not just tall guys.

I also gave examples of very tall decathletes Christian Schenk - Olympic Gold Medalist and Jurgen Hingsen former World record-holder and Olympic Silver Medalist who have similar frames, that is, the same height and weight, of a NBA small forwards, "Wings", or Point-forwards.

Finally, I myself played high school basketball (at a high enough level to get a recruiting letter from a Power 5 School) SPECIFICALLY to train for track and field since my high school did not have track and field and I wanted to be a multi-eventer in college (I ran at a Top 10 ranked Division I school as a multi-eventer).

I coach now. Several of my very, very best track and field athletes (I have coached age-group World, age-group National Champions, and age-group National Record-holders) and have assistant coached a 2016 Para-Olympic qualifier are BASKETBALL players.

Jay Novacek The Dallas Cowboy was a basketball player who was a decathlete AND an All-American in the Decathlon finishing 4th at the NCAAs and winning the WAC Conference outright. He set his school's record (Wyoming) and competed in the 1984 USA Olympic Trials in the decathlon.

You have NO idea the caliber of athlete Lebron James is. He was Two-time All-State in OHIO as a wide receiver (Head Coach Urban Meyer of Ohio State said Lebron James was the best in his graduating class). Below is video proof of Lebron James football skills.

The first video shows action when he was an All-State wide receiver; the second video shows his football skills "now"; the final video shows NFL All-Pros, NFL players, and NFL coaches that all acknowledge and accept that "King James" can play. So much so, JUJU Schuster has asked him to join him in the NFL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX_diVyt2XE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfjoyuW32RM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHhTKuziFHc

Why is it so hard for you to except that perhaps the basketball and in this case, the NBA has decathlon talent?

PS: Lebron James is 1 inch taller and 10 pounds heavier than the Olympic Gold medalist Christian Schenk and the former World record-holder Jurgen Hingsen. His exactly Ponderal Index is in line with both of these gentlemen. He also happens to posses a vertical of OVER 40 inches.

I apologize for the typos.

Sure, basketball has decathlon talent, but not world beating decathlon talent. You could make an argument that every sport has decathlon talent in that case.

Since you have a fascination with Lebron, I do hate to break it to you but he is actually 6'6" not 6'8". They measure their height with shoes on. It also sounds better though for little boys who want heroes.

Charles Barkley was famous for overstated height, where he was listed many times as 6'7 or even 6'8" but he was actually 6'4".

BTW. Hingsen was actually 6'7" but he also had a 42 inch vertical leap!!

Ok.

2nd place: Charlie Ward (multi eventer and NYK baby!)

1st place: Spud Webb (to be able to play in the NBA and win the dunk contest at that height you've gotta be one of the fastest most athletic freaks on the planet)

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