Devin Funchess Signs Pro Basketball Contract After Austin Rivers Said NFL Players Can't Play In NBA

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Austin Rivers, an NBA free agent and son of Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, made waves this week when he claimed that 30 NBA players could immediately play in the NFL, but not the other way around. 

"I can take 30 players right now from the NBA and throw them in the NFL," Rivers said. "You cannot take 30 NFL players and put them in the NBA." 

Plenty of people delivered rebuttals to that ridiculous take, including future Pro Football Hall of Fame defender J.J. Watt. Part of me understands his take, but is he not accounting for the softness of today's coddled NBA stars? There is no "load management" in the NFL. 

Plus, do people really think Justin Jefferson couldn't play in the NBA if he practiced basketball instead of football? Most star NFL players were also star basketball players in high school, but football requires an athlete's full attention. 

But in a funny twist of fate, former NFL wide receiver Devin Funchess, who switched to tight end to prolong his football career, has just signed a contract to play professional basketball with the Caribbean Storm Llaneros of the Professional Colombia Basketball league. 

Of course, that's not the NBA. Understood. But we also have to keep in mind that Funchess wasn't a star in the NFL (he had under 2,500 receiving yards in the league for his career), and he's almost 30 years old now. 

Former NFL wide receiver Devin Funchess signed a pro basketball contract one day after Austin Rivers said NFL players can't play in the NBA.

Former NFL wide receiver Devin Funchess signed a pro basketball contract one day after Austin Rivers said NFL players can't play in the NBA.

(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

So, do we really think that Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, or a bevvy of other players couldn't carve out a role on an NBA team if they chose to switch to basketball? 

And are we really to believe that NBA players, who drop to the floor like they've been shot when they take any semblance of contact, could withstand the beating that they would take playing football at the highest level? 

Maybe some could. But many NFL players could do the same in the NBA. 

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.