Is Steve Nash the best 10K runner in the NBA?

thirty-two wrote:

No one mention LeBron again. 6-8, 260 does not allow you succeed in any sort of running event, sorry.

I think Lebron's best event would be the 400. Wilt at 7' ran around a 49 for the 440 in college though he was a little skinnier when he did that. You give Lebron 3 months of track training and he would be under 50.

Let's flash back to high school. Sophomores with talent run 4:30 or below. These are pimply-faced dweebs. How is it so unbelievable that a world-class professional athlete can't run the same time? Furthermore, that talented 4:30er wasn't even a top athlete in their high school-- that person was playing football, basketball--maybe soccer.

Once again you "runners" give yourself too much credit sometimes. You just aren't that fast. I'm sorry.

I love this kind of topic and have always been a fan of the events like the NFL off season competitions. I think America would be interested in a track meet full of top pro athletes, and I think some of these people would blow you away. Bring it on, ESPN8! Phil Knight needs to make this happen.

So in the name of participating and to not *just* be a cynical jerk, my vote for top miler through 10k is probably Steve Nash because of the soccer training/lifestyle. 400m? I'll go with Westbrook/LeBron.

It would be awesome to see NFL, NBA, MLB etc stars go head to head in a track meet against second tier pro runners. Some of the NFL guys could probably beat the second tier sprinters and jumpers (and perhaps even the 1st tiers with good training). On the other hand, none of them could run a mile faster than a second tier pro runner (i.e. 4 flat) probably not even with massive training. However I also think it is ridiculous that people think these guys would jog 10ks if they were trying hard. I think its more likely that Stockton ran 8 miles in 42 min than 8k in 42 min. There are probably thousands of runners that can hold 5:15 mile pace for 8 miles, in fact there are probably several hundred women who could do that, so why the hell can't a world class basketball player do it?

Stop all debate. It's Rip Hamilton. Dude probably runs a sub 4:30 mile and has crazy endurance.

Nash was known for presciption amphetamines when he played in in college in Silicon valley.

Look at this way - how many world class sprinters can break 4:30 for the mile? How many world class decathletes can? You're saying an average NBA player - who would have even less relavent training- could do it?

Some of the "smaller" guys could run a mediocre 400 - not LeBron. People think Bolt and Merritt are huge and LeBron has wayyy more mass.

Andre Iguodala ran a 12:38 xc 2 mile in 8th grade at the IESA state meet. Here's proof:

http://www.iesa.org/activities/cc/results_Individual.asp?Gender=Boys&year=1997&class=AA

122nd place in the 1997 boys AA race. If he could do that as an 8th grader, I bet he could at least run a sub 5 mile right now. Definitely sub 4:30 if he trained for it. Same goes for any NBA player with similar athleticism.

jakethefake wrote:

It would be awesome to see NFL, NBA, MLB etc stars go head to head in a track meet against second tier pro runners. Some of the NFL guys could probably beat the second tier sprinters and jumpers (and perhaps even the 1st tiers with good training). On the other hand, none of them could run a mile faster than a second tier pro runner (i.e. 4 flat) probably not even with massive training. However I also think it is ridiculous that people think these guys would jog 10ks if they were trying hard. I think its more likely that Stockton ran 8 miles in 42 min than 8k in 42 min. There are probably thousands of runners that can hold 5:15 mile pace for 8 miles, in fact there are probably several hundred women who could do that, so why the hell can't a world class basketball player do it?

You don't run much, do you?

OldXCguy wrote:

not a 10k wrote:

"an eight-mile race in about 42 minutes without training"

That had to be an 8K.

it also could have been a 12k. stockton is from spokane, site of bloomsday.

As far as your first claim goes, I never said an average NBA player could run a 4:30 mile. Check your facts breh.

I don't think a supercharged ripped sprinter is going to run a 4:30 mile anytime soon. Tyson Gay? Who knows. If we lower the bar to 4:45 then hell yeah I think a lot more people can run that. I think most decathletes can break 4:30 if they're fresh, absolutely. NBA players playing the 1, 2 or 3 can probably run a 4:45 mile. Those players who take off season aerobic training seriously can run 4:30.

Re: LeBron's mass-- Angelo Taylor is pretty gigantic too I think, and LeBron is one of the faster people in the NBA, so yeah I think he could throw down a decent quarter. Westbrook for sure. You're right that most of the smaller guys would probably fair better, but LeBron is sort of an anomaly.

Lebron has not any kind of endurance. That is the reason of his multiple dissapearances in Playoff 4th quarters. He has insane power and speed. 400 is his limit.

Michael Jordan ran 600 indoors in 99/00...i dont remember his times BTW.

thirty-two wrote:

Some of the "smaller" guys could run a mediocre 400 - not LeBron. People think Bolt and Merritt are huge and LeBron has wayyy more mass.

You're delusional. Robert Smith was 6'2 and about 200 lbs in high school when he ran 46.41 his JUNIOR year. Brandon Saine was 6'1" 215 when he ran 46.88. These guys were FOOTBALL players who probably only trained specifically for track 3 months of the year. (Saine did run some meets in the summer but concentrated on the 100 and 200.) Lebron at 6'8" 260 is even a little "skinnier" than Saine. He would have absolutely no problem running under 50.

1984—A Gonzaga point guard named John Stockton runs 46:03 for 374th place.

google bloomsday john stockton

I run just plenty, and follow all running events pretty closely 42 min for 8 miles is probably what a 32:20 10k runner would do. There are certainly 100 women in the world who could run that right now (60 on the top list right now and its an off year).

Why would anyone pick Steve Nash of all guys for a race? He's one of the least athletic players in the NBA, and he's 37. He makes his living seeing the court better than everyone else.

I'll like someone to teach LeBron or Blake Griffin to high jump. They wouldn't be world competitive but it'd be pretty impressive to see 250 pounds go over the bar at 6'8 or 6'10.

i will say it again wrote:

thirty-two wrote:

Some of the "smaller" guys could run a mediocre 400 - not LeBron. People think Bolt and Merritt are huge and LeBron has wayyy more mass.

You're delusional. Robert Smith was 6'2 and about 200 lbs in high school when he ran 46.41 his JUNIOR year. Brandon Saine was 6'1" 215 when he ran 46.88. These guys were FOOTBALL players who probably only trained specifically for track 3 months of the year. (Saine did run some meets in the summer but concentrated on the 100 and 200.) Lebron at 6'8" 260 is even a little "skinnier" than Saine. He would have absolutely no problem running under 50.

That's still 3 months more than LeBron's training for track. Which will cost him the insane anaerobic capacity that stops people from rigging up too bad in the last 100. Furthermore, the mentioned athletes were freaks, exceptions to the rule. Finally, 215pounds is less than 260pounds. Check your math there big guy.

Saying LeBron (or athletes of a similar stature, I'm honestly not an LB hater) can easily break 50 is ridiculous.

Rip Hamilton is known for doing distance runs. Denver's players used to be conditioned with some distance runs at altitude. Still sticking with Rip tho. He looks fit.

I don't think people were saying average NBA players could run a 4:30. I think they was saying the very fastest NBA players could run 430 just off basketball training

Look at it this way a lot of the top high school girls can run in the 440s. It's hard to believe that the fastest guys in the NBA couldn't outrun the fastest high school girls. Nothing against the girls they're crazy fast but he's there NBA guys and I'm talking about the very fastest guys like Kemba Walker

Also you definitely wrong about LeBron the guy is incredibly fast. He's one of the fastest guys up and down the court in the NBA he could definitely pull a fast 40 time and a pretty fast mile time maybe not 4:30 but definitely sub-5. He's in phenomenal cardio shape and could definitely put a Solid 5 minutes of continuous running effort

Also sprinters train way different than basketball players sprinters is so specific basketball players do a lot of conditioning running

Facteezy wrote:

He's retired now, but Kerry Kittles just had the look of a 400 runner. He had the Jeremy Wariner body type.

I second that, Kerry was a greyhound a la Johnny Dawkins, Rip, etc