Could NFL players play in the NBA? From CJ Stroud to Christian McCaffrey, here are 30 we'd love to try

Austin Rivers sparked debate on The Pat McAfee Show this week.

Could NFL players play in the NBA? Could NBA players play in the NFL? Rivers has his name written on it with numbers.

“I can now take 30 players from the NBA and send them to the NFL,” Rivers said. “You can’t take 30 NFL players and put them in the NBA.”

Retired NFL legend JJ Watt – who starred in football and basketball at Pewaukee (Wisc.) High School – was among the NFL stars who denied Rivers' claim. Watt made a confession about his chances in the NBA.

For the record, I absolutely could not play in the NBA.

6 major fouls is about all I can give you and call it a day.

– JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 7, 2024

There have been college basketball players who became NFL stars – a list that includes Antonio Gates, Donovan McNabb, Jimmy Graham, Julius Peppers, Tony Gonzalez and Terrell Owens. Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward played for the New York Knicks in the NBA, so this argument isn't exactly new.

But 30 names is a lot. Does the current NFL have 30 players who would at least take a chance on the NBA? Here's a list of candidates – including several former basketball stars – and a few players we'd like to see on the court for a few minutes.

MORE: 30 NBA players we'd like to see play in the NFL

NFL players who played college basketball

Three current NFL players played college basketball. These players would be at the top of our list.

Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Colts

The 6-foot-1, 276-pound tight end averaged 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds as a forward at VCU from 2013 to 2017.

Keon Coleman, WR, Bills

The 6-foot-4 big-play receiver played sparingly as a forward at Michigan State before focusing on football in college with the Spartans and Florida State.

Mason Pline, TE, 49ers

The 49ers signed undrafted 6-foot-7 tight end Furman. He played three seasons of basketball at Ferris State before transferring to Furman, where he had 32 catches for 287 yards and four touchdowns last season.

NFL players we'd like to see play basketball

That leaves 27 more players for our 30. A look at the rest of this squad.

Bobby Wagner, LB, Seahawks

Wagner led the NFL in tackles last season. He gave up high school basketball to pursue a college football career. If this team needs a hard foul, this is the man.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers

McCaffrey is arguably the best all-around athlete in the NFL. After a three-sport career at Valor Christian (Highland Ranch, Colo.), he received an offer to play football and basketball at Northern Colorado.

CJ Stroud, QB, Texans

The 6-3 quarterback was a two-sport star at Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) High School and scored 31 points at this year's Celebrity All-Star Game in Indianapolis.

Cooper DeJean, CB, Eagles

The Eagles' first-round cornerback has an impressive highlight tape from OA-BCIG High School in Ida Grove, Iowa, where he scored 1,832 points.

Cooper DeJeans HS Basketball Highlight Film: pic.twitter.com/kvnvdUmbnR

— Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) February 8, 2024

Dan Skipper, T, Lions

The 6-foot, 330-pound player is the tallest player in the NFL. He was a three-sport star at Ralston Valley (Arvada, Colo.) High School. Basketball coaches always say, “You can’t teach greatness.”

Davante Adams, WR, Raiders

Adams was a 6-1, 215-pound two-sport star at Palo Alto (Calif.) High School and a two-sport star who could have played college basketball.

Dawand Jones, T, Browns

The 6-8, 375-pound two-sport star from Ben Davis (Indianapolis High School) had Division I basketball offers — and he still had NBA dreams before his NFL Combine interviews.

DeForrest Buckner, DT, Colts

Buckner was the Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year in Hawaii after averaging 12.8 points and 10.1 rebounds as a senior at Punahou (Honolulu) High School.

Drake Maye, QB, Patriots

Maye's brothers Luke and Beau played at North Carolina. As a junior, Drake averaged a double-double at Myers Park (Charlotte, NC).

Drake Maye highlights pic.twitter.com/dFmSDxhypY

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) April 26, 2024

Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets

The high-profile Jets receiver has some impressive basketball highlights from his time as a point guard at Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) High School.

Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Panthers

Clowney's high school football highlights remain impressive and he was a power forward on the South Pointe (Rock Hill, SC) High School basketball team.

Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals

Chase – 6-foot-10 – originally attended Archbishop Rummel (Metairie, La.) High School to play basketball before developing into one of the top high school receivers in the country.

Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals

Do you need a shooter? Burrow averaged 20 points as a senior and was a first-team all-state basketball player at Athens (Ohio) High School.

Keenan Allen, WR, Bears

Allen was a three-sport star at Northern Guilford (Greensboro, NC) High School, where he played football, basketball and track.

Maxx Crosby, DE, Raiders

A 6-5, 255-pound forward at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High School, Crosby brought intensity to the floor.

Micah Parsons, LB, Cowboys

Parsons was a 6-3, 245-pound center at Harrisonburg (Pa.) High School and was a physical presence under the basket.

Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers

The 6-5, 231-pound receiver averaged 18.3 points and 5.2 assists as a senior at Ball (Galveston, Texas) High School.

Myles Garrett, DE, Browns

The 6-4, 272-pound edge rusher and reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year is a huge basketball fan who excelled at Martin (Arlington, Texas) High School.

Nick Foles, QB, free agent

We're signing Foles to this team. He was a star basketball player at Westlake (Austin, Texas) High School and received multiple Division I offers.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs

Mahomes averaged 19.9 points per game as a junior at Whitehouse (Texas) High School, where he was a three-sport star before becoming a three-time Super Bowl champion.

Puka Nacua, WR, Rams

Nacua was another standout player in this year's NBA Celebrity All-Star Game and was a standout player at Orem (Utah) High School.

Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets

Gardner is the best cover cornerback in the NFL. Could he be converted into a lockdown perimeter defender in the NBA?

Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants

According to Cleveland.com, Barkley was a forward who specialized in playing baseline defense at Whitehall (Pa.) High School.

Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals

Higgins was a star shooting guard at Oak Ridge (Tenn.) High School and had offers from Louisville, Tennessee and Auburn.

TJ Hockenson, TE, Vikings

Hockenson – a 6-5, 248-pounder, scored 1,890 points at Chariton (Iowa) High School with a game that would have translated to the college level.

Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs

The 6-5, 250-pounder played basketball at Cleveland Heights High School and dreamed of playing in both the NFL and NBA. Would he be the best trash talker on the floor?

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars

Remember when Lawrence pushed that guy at the stadium basketball game? Is that enough to make it onto this team?