Nate Robinson hasn’t been able to get on an NBA court this season. He played a total of 23 minutes over two games for the New Orleans Pelicans, and that’s it. His phone has not been ringing.
So he wants to try out for some NFL teams.
Robinson, who played one season of cornerback for the University of Washington before focusing on basketball full-time, released a video through Lead Sports saying he wants a shot at the NFL (you can see it above).
“If somebody gave me a real opportunity I know I could play,” Robinson said in the video.
In the video Rick Neuheisel, Robinson’s coach from Washington, said if one person could pull off the NBA/NFL double it was Robinson. NFL player (and Long Beach Poly standout) Marcedes Lewis and NBA players Jamal Crawford and Glen Davis echoed that sentiment.
First things first, Robinson’s decision to play hoops over football paid off to the tune of $24 million in salary over the course of his career (that’s not counting endorsement cash). He did alright for himself.
Could he play in the NFL?
I’m no NFL scout, but the odds would be stacked against him. How many 32-year-old NFL rookies are there (that would be his age at the start of next season)? How many 5'9" cornerbacks stick in the NFL? That said, how many 5'9" guys played 11 seasons in the NBA? Robinson was always able to overcome his size in part due to grit and a tremendous work ethic, two things that would serve him well in the NFL. He also overcame the obstacles because he is an explosive athlete — and that’s where the real trouble may lie. Robinson hasn’t been picked up in the NBA because teams feel he’s lost a step or two and isn’t the insane athlete that won three dunk contests anymore. If that’s true, it would mean a hard road to overcome those obstacles and make an NFL roster.
The odds have been stacked against Robinson his entire athletic career. He’s the ultimate underdog survivor. So bet against him in the NFL at your own risk.