Many American NBA players played American football in high school or college. We can cite for example Allen Iverson and LeBron James, who were gifted in this sport as well, in addition to basketball.
For Josh Giddey, on the other side of the planet, it was Australian rules football. The Thunder rookie was asked about this little-known sport in Europe and the United States.
” I do not know how to explain it… “begins the Oklahoma City point guard/back. “You could say that, in terms of contacts, it looks like the NFL. AFL players (Australian Football League) wear no protection, no helmet, none of that. It’s a somewhat complicated sport, which you have to watch to understand. “
What position can a player who measures 2m03 occupy? “I was a ruckman, the equivalent of a pivot for basketball. It’s often the tallest on the pitch and I was very tall for football. And it’s a position where you have to get in touch with others. “
The Thunder player had to make a choice a few years ago between his love for this sport and basketball. “I received a scholarship for the NBA Academy when I was 15-16 years old. I was very good at football at that time, and I wanted to continue playing it. But I also knew that a choice had to be made between the two. It was hard, I hesitated, but I chose basketball. “
Of course, when he arrived in the United States, the Australian got closer to American football and the NFL, which he did not watch at home. “I love it, I’m a big fan”he assures. “I especially enjoy watching the quarterbacks. I love Patrick Mahomes, he’s my favorite player. “
| Josh Giddey | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2021-22 | OKAY | 53 | 31 | 41.8 | 26.7 | 70.5 | 1.8 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 6.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 12.4 |
| Total | 53 | 31 | 41.8 | 26.7 | 70.5 | 1.8 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 6.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 12.4 | |
