If there ends up being an NFL lockout for the 2011 season — as many expect there could be — more than 1,600 players will be left jobless. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, on the other hand, already has a game plan, which includes playing in the NBA.
According to ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, Marshall said Thursday that if the NFL teams lock out players upon the expiration of the league’s collective bargain agreement in March 2011, he will try out for an NBA team.
Marshall said that the first team on his list is the Denver Nuggets, with the Miami Heat being No. 2.
When once again asked if he will pursue an NBA career upon a lockout, Marshall said, "Not pursuing — I’m going to be on an NBA team. Seriously."
The two-time NFL Pro Bowler reportedly said he was good enough to play shooting guard professionally. He played basketball at Lake Howell High School in Florida before pursuing football at the University of Central Florida.
While some football players have basketball backgrounds in high school and college — and vice versa — Marshall would be perhaps the most prolific name to play both sports at the highest level.
According to NBC Sports' John Krolik, LeBron James and Allen Iverson were both standout high school football players, and the Celtics' Nate Robinson even played cornerback for the Washington Huskies before they all embarked on NBA careers.
Terrell Owens, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Julius Peppers are among those NFL players who played basketball at high levels before opting for a career in professional football. Owens even played in the 1995 NCAA men’s basketball tournament with the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, while Gates led Kent State University to the Elite Eight of the 2002 tournament before signing with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent.
At 6-foot-4, Marshall certainly has the height of an NBA guard. But Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano reportedly isn’t convinced that height alone means an illustrious basketball career is on the horizon for the 26-year-old wideout.
"I’ve seen him jump — he’s not playing basketball," Sparano told ESPN.com.
Marshall has already spoken to his agent about the prospect of following through on his plan, though, and the deciding factor would likely be whether an NBA team will give him a shot.
Whether or not the talent level is there is one thing for Marshall, but the most pressing dilemma could be the conflicting conditioning regimens of the two sports, which could in turn prove detrimental to his football career.
James said last year that he could play for any NFL team and be really good. But the NBA superstar went on to say that he had no interest in playing both sports, and that each requires different types of stamina.
"I'd be in football shape during football season, then I'd go to basketball and feel like I was out of shape," he told ESPN.com in November 2009. "It's totally different. And another thing you have to get used to is getting hit again."
Maybe Marshall has NBA potential that few have seen. With three straight 100-reception seasons and his importance in the Miami offense, though, the Dolphins are probably hoping that he stays clear of the hardwood — lockout or no lockout.
