Comparing NBA players to athletes in other sports

[Big Ticket]

Came up with this list on another board...

Kevin Garnett = Ray Lewis
LeBron James = Adrian Peterson
Kobe Bryant = Terrell Owens
Kevin Durant = Tim Lincecum
Dwight Howard = Ryan Howard

Steve Nash = Peyton Manning
Tim Duncan = Albert Pujols
Rajon Rondo = Ladainian Tomlinson or Hanley Ramirez
Yao Ming = Derek Anderson
Chauncey Billups = Ben Roethlisberger
Paul Pierce = Papelbon?
Greg Oden = Reggie Bush
Ray Allen = Joe Mauer
Derrick Rose = Calvin Johnson
Chris Paul  = Dustin Pedroia

My 5 favorite are at the top... I think those are great comparisons... not sure how I feel about the rest I came up with.

Feel free to change or add as you see fit!

[Jon]

I think the biggest comparison is that there is no comparison.  I know that wasn't your point, but stars in basketball matter so much more than in other sports.  A guy like KG can literally play the entire game and dominate the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.  That can't happen in baseball or football.  Brady plays less than half the game and has little-to-no effect on defense and special teams.  Papelbon is great, but only is relevant in a close game in the last inning or two.  Pedroia's great, but can't save you in the ninth if he isn't up or the ball isn't hit to him. 

So overall, the lesson I think that we get from that is to hold onto and to hoard your stars.  Thankfully Danny learned that lesson. 

[Toine43]

As much as I hate Kobe, I don't think he deserves the comparison to TO. Kobe is either the best or the second best basketball player on the planet. TO can't say that he's the best football player in the game (although I wouldn't be surprised to hear him try). Kobe should be paired with A-Rod, because they're both ****s involved in scandals who cheated on their wives, but also happen to be the best players in their respective leagues.



EDIT: I added in the words in bold.

[jackson_34]

Rondo can't be a LT i dont think, he's too defensive orientated. So i'd go with a cornerback instead.

how does reggie bush compare with oden???

I definently agree with your first three though!

[chief3233]

Sasha Vujacic= Anna Kournikova
LeBron= Chad Johnson
Dwight Howard= Barry Bonds
Louis Amundson (and Sasha Vujacic)= [edit]

No masked profanity.

-IP

[chief3233]

Rondo can't be a LT i dont think, he's too defensive orientated. So i'd go with a cornerback instead.

how does reggie bush compare with oden???

I definently agree with your first three though!

Both were supposed to be "God's gift" to their sport coming out of college..and look at them now (so far anwyays).

[Big Ticket]

Rondo can't be a LT i dont think, he's too defensive orientated. So i'd go with a cornerback instead.

how does reggie bush compare with oden???

I definently agree with your first three though!

Rondo = LT was mostly a versatility thing.

Bush and Oden... well, uber hyped, major injuries.

[Big Ticket]

As much as I hate Kobe, I don't think he deserves the comparison to TO. Kobe is either the best or the second best basketball player on the planet. TO can't say that he's the best football player in the game (although I wouldn't be surprised to hear him try). Kobe should be paired with A-Rod, because they're both ****s who happen to be the best players in their respective leagues.

Kobe and TO was more on personality than anything else.

[GroverTheClover]

Rondo can't be a LT i dont think, he's too defensive orientated. So i'd go with a cornerback instead.

how does reggie bush compare with oden???

I definently agree with your first three though!

Rondo = LT was mostly a versatility thing.

Bush and Oden... well, uber hyped, major injuries.

If we're talking versatility, I think I'd go with Rondo = Brian Westbrook without the injuries.

I don't get Yao = Derek Anderson at all.

[indeedproceed]

Bruce Bowen=Derrick Brooks?

JR Smith=Larry Johnson?

JR Rider=Lawrence Phillips?

[wdleehi]

Stephen Jackson = Plaxico

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

Came up with this list on another board...

Kevin Garnett = Ray Lewis
LeBron James = Adrian Peterson
Kobe Bryant = Terrell Owens
Kevin Durant = Tim Lincecum
Dwight Howard = Ryan Howard

Steve Nash = Peyton Manning
Tim Duncan = Albert Pujols
Rajon Rondo = Ladainian Tomlinson or Hanley Ramirez
Yao Ming = Derek Anderson
Chauncey Billups = Ben Roethlisberger
Paul Pierce = Papelbon?
Greg Oden = Reggie Bush
Ray Allen = Joe Mauer
Derrick Rose = Calvin Johnson
Chris Paul  = Dustin Pedroia

My 5 favorite are at the top... I think those are great comparisons... not sure how I feel about the rest I came up with.

Feel free to change or add as you see fit!

Love the idea... only a few changes...

Tim Duncan = Derek Jeter

Yao Ming = Ichiro (A very good player who is very good at a few things, but is far more value to their team's marketing department then they are to their team's roster. Cannot be the lead dog on a championship team... Not because they're both Asian)

Paul Pierce = Justin Morneau w/ a ring (perennially underappreciated superstar beloved in hometown who puts up big numbers but needs a little help to make serious postseason noise)

I would switch Rondo and Paul...

Chris Paul = Hanley Ramirez (Popular choice to build a team around, seems to do everything well, legitimate superstar)

Rondo = Pedroia ( No one would choose him to start a franchise in a hypothetical fantasy draft, but does a couple things better then almost anyone else. Rest of the game improving steadily)

love the Oden-Bush comparison I totally agree

[wdleehi]

T-Mac = Romo.   Lots of hype.  Never wins in the playoffs.

[indeedproceed]

T-Mac = Romo.   Lots of hype.  Never wins in the playoffs.

I was really trying to think of one for T-Mac...an offensive dynamo that can't get it done in the playoffs. Now if only Romo were injured more.

[MattG12]

T-Mac = Romo.   Lots of hype.  Never wins in the playoffs.

I was really trying to think of one for T-Mac...an offensive dynamo that can't get it done in the playoffs. Now if only Romo were injured more.

You can compare T-Mac to A-Rod who never hits in the playoffs... You could also compare him to Griffey Jr. (One of the best offensive players ever who couldn't win a ring because he couldn't seem to stay healthy).