Former NBA point guard Nate Robinson received a tryout to play defensive back for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, according to the Washington Post. Robinson has expressed his interest of playing professional football, and now it appears that he will get that opportunity. The three-time Slam Dunk Contest champion played football in his freshman year at the University of Washington in 2002. He started six games at cornerback, but quit the year after to focus on basketball. He went on to have an 11-year career in the NBA, playing for eight different teams. He is currently signed to Hapoel Tel Aviv, an overseas basketball team that plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.
Robinson is unlikely to make the Seahawks’ roster, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but made enough of an impression that the two sides will speak in the future. This may intrigue other teams, as the fact that Robinson could stand out even without playing football for 14 years is impressive. His athleticism, speed and leaping ability would make him right at home in the NFL, but his 5’9″, 180 lb stature, lack of experience and age (32 years old) will affect him from making a large impact in the NFL. While this is certainly a bold move by Robinson, he has made a career out of overcoming the odds. It will be interesting to see how he does in his gridiron endeavors.
