Austin Rivers Faces Backlash for Claiming 30 NBA Players Could Compete in the NFL Right Now

Austin Rivers joined the Pat McAfee show and made a controversial statement that had the football community up in arms. The ex-NBA point guard and current ESPN analyst claimed that 30 NBA players could play in the NFL today while also claiming that 30 NFL players cannot play in the NBA today.

“I can take 30 players right now from the NBA and throw them in the NFL. You can't take 30 NFL players and put them in the NBA.”

Do you agree with Austin Rivers here 🤔

(via @PatMcAfeeShow)pic.twitter.com/d7Pcczb4HR

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 7, 2024

Pat McAfee was shocked by Rivers’s statement as they began to name the NBA players who would be solid football players off the top of their heads.

“We got Anthony Edwards, Russel Westbrook, Zion would be fantastic,” Pat told Austin as he responded to Rivers’s statement.

Former NFL player JJ Watt took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice their displeasure with Rivers’ comments. JJ was pretty harsh with his quote tweet. Mentioning River’s unemployment.

You don’t got a job in either right now, go head and try it… https://t.co/9C5Y4oZyXZ

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 7, 2024

While FOX’s Emanuel Acho took a different approach with a minute-long response.

“Football drills make basketball players, not the other way around,” Acho started off his video saying. “Who’s the most intimidating player in the NBA right now? Maybe Draymond Green, have you met Trent Williams? 6’4”, 320 pounds. You get a screen from in basketball you end up falling to the floor. Imagine going across the middle Fred Warner waiting on you.”

Acho also mentioned that football players are ‘licensed to kill.’ Take a look at his reaction below.

Somebody tell Austin Rivers: Football drills make Basketball players, not the other way around. https://t.co/NuDutgvqum pic.twitter.com/8fLIaomWkR

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) May 8, 2024