It’s always intriguing to imagine top athletes excelling in sports beyond their own. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, one of the most celebrated NFL quarterbacks in history, took part in such an exercise by assembling his ideal football team using only players from Team USA’s men’s basketball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Brady was tasked with selecting a quarterback, tight end, running back, and two wide receivers. His first pick for quarterback was Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, fresh off winning his first NBA championship this season. Tatum remained Brady’s consistent choice for the quarterback role throughout the selection process.
Tatum, the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP and a four-time NBA All-Star, is recognized for his leadership on the court—a crucial quality for a quarterback. Brady valued this trait, making Tatum his top choice for leading the offense on his fictional team.
For the tight end position, Brady selected the 2023 NBA MVP, Joel Embiid. Tight ends need to excel both offensively and defensively, and Embiid, a three-time NBA All-Defensive team member and two-time NBA scoring champion, fit this role perfectly. Like with Tatum, Brady never wavered in his decision to place Embiid at tight end.
Interestingly, both of the Lakers’ NBA All-Stars, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, made Brady’s team. Their versatility made them candidates for multiple positions.
Brady initially chose nine-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis as his running back. Standing at 6-foot-10, Davis’ height could be an asset for catching passes from Tatum. However, Brady considered moving Davis to the tight end position to take advantage of his defensive skills as a five-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. In the end, Brady settled on keeping Davis as the running back.
The final two spots on Brady’s team were reserved for wide receivers. Brady expressed the need for two distinct types of wide receivers: one for possession and one as a deep threat. He first considered LeBron James, a four-time NBA champion, for the tight end role. With James’ six-time NBA All-Defensive Team experience, tight end seemed a natural fit. However, Brady quickly realized that James’ speed would be more beneficial at wide receiver. “I think I can utilize him better [at wide receiver],” Brady said. James’ ability to score, highlighted by his status as the NBA’s all-time points leader, made him an ideal candidate for scoring touchdowns as a wide receiver.
The final player to join Brady’s team was four-time Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker, who was chosen to fill the second wide receiver position.
In Brady’s imaginative exercise, both Lakers’ stars, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, were pivotal selections, showcasing the multi-sport potential of NBA athletes in a different arena.
