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Ball Don't Lie - NBA

Ball Don't Lie

Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:00 am EST

Celtics' Glen Davis wants to play in the NFL

By J.E. Skeets

LeBron isn't the only NBA'er who muses about playing pro football.

In an interview with ESPN the Magazine, Celtics forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis said he wants to play in the NFL — but not before he becomes an elite NBA player.

Elite, eh? That may take a little while.

"I will try it," said Davis, who's on the injured list for six weeks with a broken right thumb sustained in a good ol' fashioned car fight. "When I become an All-Star in the NBA, when I become a great player in the NBA, then I'll try football. One of my dreams has always been to play football."

The 6-foot-9, 290-pound "Baby" was reportedly a terrific two-way football player at University Laboratory High School in Baton Rouge, LA, starring at defensive end, defensive tackle and tailback. (Yes, tailback. And you thought Jerome Bettis was a bus!) Davis chose to hang up his cleats when he accepted a scholarship to play hoops at LSU. Good choice.

"I definitely could have made it to the NFL," Davis said.

As crazy as that might sound, Jill White, the athletic director at Davis' university, recalls watching him dominate the gridiron during his early years of high school. "Glen was a beast. He could do anything he wanted on the field. I can remember one game, he had people hanging all over him, maybe four different guys trying to take him down and he was just dragging them all along."

Below is some footage of Davis playing pigskin during his sophomore year in high school.

What do you think, scouts?

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207 Comments

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  1. Lajames W
    1. Posted by Lajames W Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:11 am EST

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    Then what the UFC? I can already see him fighting Brock for the Heavyweight belt (and getting killed).
  2. Anton
    2. Posted by Anton Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:16 am EST

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    The running is not impressive. The guy is 6'9 290 lbs - of course! he is going to dominate in HIGH SCHOOL football. But no defensive linemen in the NFL can do that. I do think Davis, if he was serious about this which he isn't because he recently trained in MMA and wanted to try it professional, would be a good DE. He has the size and the athleticism and the mindset. I would like to see him get lectured by Ray Lewis and fall into a puddle of tears again. At least he would have the helmet to cover his face! It;s all talk though as he will never be an All-Star. He is consistent but not THAT good.
  3. Peter D
    3. Posted by Peter D Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:16 am EST

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    imagine him as a TE! if he learned how to block, he could dominate
  4. Travis
    4. Posted by Travis Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:18 am EST

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    oh man, i'd love to see this pancake get torn up in the NFL!
  5. alex m
    5. Posted by alex m Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:23 am EST

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    Nobody has his size in the NFL, it's a possibility. Although he won't be playing tailback, maybe defensive or offensive line.
  6. the incredible hippo
    6. Posted by the incredible hippo Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:52 am EST

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    great....now he wants to join an NFL team with 3 future hall of famers and win a super bowl as a backup player.
  7. moonshield
    7. Posted by moonshield Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:58 am EST

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    Of course the running is not impressive. In high school, he weighed about 350 lbs. He's listed at 290 right now, and he's probably slightly lighter this after the last summer.
  8. sam spade
    8. Posted by sam spade Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:00 pm EST

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    The problem with this is the level of violence in the NFL. Most of us, civilians, couldn't take the incredible hits we see given and taken ever week. After not enduring and getting used to those hits, I'd think it's next to impossible for him to play in the NFL. Being a smooth basketball player, after one good NFL hit; he'll be calling Doc to apologize again.
    All he needs to do, it get healthy to help Boston win. Look at his body, although big, by NFL standards he's soft.
  9. briansez
    9. Posted by briansez Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:03 pm EST

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    Big Baby is not a good nickname for an NFL player. I pity the fool if he decides to try it.
  10. Benny
    10. Posted by Benny Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:06 pm EST

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    Judging by his muscle definition, his work outs are more KFC than NFL.
  11. elchorizo5
    11. Posted by elchorizo5 Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:21 pm EST

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    They should let this b!tch enter the nfl , thers a reason why the nfl has 16 regular season games and the nba 82.
  12. wsudaveyo
    12. Posted by wsudaveyo Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:23 pm EST

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    If he would have played in college, then he may have had a chance as a DE coming hard off the edge. But it's too late. If Lebron played football I could see him as a pretty scary MLB.
  13. lakerhater
    13. Posted by lakerhater Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:30 pm EST

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    football!!!?????? guy sits out 6 weeks with a broken thumb! no wonder they call him ''big baby''
  14. K NEL
    14. Posted by K NEL Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:35 pm EST

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    some comments I see...He could definitely cut it in the NFL at DT or DE. Look at the film he had crazy agility and nice foot work being THAT big. Bet you if he went to the combine he'd be a combine god.
  15. Bizzle
    15. Posted by Bizzle Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:38 pm EST

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    If by NFL he means Hot Dog Eating contest then yes he CAN do that. But Big Baby will NEVER be an All-Star.
  16. aceventura
    16. Posted by aceventura Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:54 pm EST

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    Yeah and I'm gonna try to be a rock star....
    BIG baby needs to focus on his rehab & keep mouth shut
  17. stephen w
    17. Posted by stephen w Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:56 pm EST

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    What a delusional idiot! Does he really think he is going to be an all star? Or for that matter, have a chance to play football professionally? Maybe if every good power forward dies, then the XFL comes back.
  18. Mr.J
    18. Posted by Mr.J Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:58 pm EST

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    I dont know whats funnier. Him thinking of being an NBA All-star or him thinking of being a NFL player.
  19. joe c
    19. Posted by joe c Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:06 pm EST

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    Forget about it !
    His own words "not before he becomes an elite NBA player".
    Your not one now, and you will never be. So you will never be an NFL player.
    You have to change your nick name in any sport.
    Big Babe what is that.
  20. James B
    20. Posted by James B Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:19 pm EST

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    A bigger, more athletic Antonio Gates...
  21. sam spade
    21. Posted by sam spade Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:28 pm EST

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    A good hit and he's crying like a Big Baby.
  22. chillyfromphilly
    22. Posted by chillyfromphilly Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:29 pm EST

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    yeah, i dont know what big baby has in his bottle, but just being big, doesnt mean you can play in the NFL. and vice versa. there was a guy that was pretty good in baseball as kid, played in the NBA, retired, then figured he could still not only play baseball, but play in the major leagues. it didnt happen. his basketball number was 23. you can be very good at more than one sport in high school, college maybe, but 2 professional sports? nah. at least not since a guy named deion sanders played but in the MLB and NFL at the same time. and bo jackson before him.sanders probably would never get the credit, but sanders has to be the or one of the top athletes in history. for whatever reason, those guys that are that special to play 2 professional sports only come along ever so often.
  23. Anthony
    23. Posted by Anthony Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:45 pm EST

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    Has anyone actually seen this man out on the court? For his size he is very quick and athletic. Unlike a lot of NFL linemen who have guts that hang over their belts. Glen could do it, he has the size to do it. I'm just not sure he has the killer instinct to do it.
  24. longrangevertical
    24. Posted by longrangevertical Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:47 pm EST

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    That's cool, but the NFL can cripple you! Being 6'9'' 300lbs + is a BIG TARGET! Not worth it Glenn, stick to hoops.
    You want to play with your kids one day, right? Not ache everyday and be poppin' pain pills.
  25. MUHAMMAD S
    25. Posted by MUHAMMAD S Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:06 pm EST

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    its frekin HS football anyone who weighs as much as him and have 4.8 sec speed can dominate HS football because he is going up against guys who are half the size of him. all he has to do is lower his shoulder and he would run over the guy. NFL is much different i bet a NFL corner back like Sheldon Brown would smack the poop out of him and make him realize that he will never be more than a NBA role player. same goes for him playing defense too. he might have a little advantage in speed but it would'nt matter because the guys who he would go up against in the NFL would be 4x or more stronger than him. he would be a disaster just like Brock Lesnar when he decided to give NFL a shot

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Ball Don't Lie is an NBA blog edited by J.E. Skeets. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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