Once upon a time, Kris Humphries was a better swimmer than Michael Phelps.
No, seriously.
The Atlanta Hawks big man recorded the fastest times in six different events — 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter breaststroke and 200-meter individual medley — in the 10-and-under age bracket back in 1994-95, according to the United States swimming record book.
Among the swimmers he defeated amid his success? You guessed it. Mr. Phelps himself.
Humphries, now 31, also competed against another successful U.S. Olympic swimmer, Ryan Lochte, when he was 10 years old. But with Phelps being the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, it’s hard to imagine there actually was a time when he wasn’t the best swimmer in the pool.
Humphries ultimately gave up swimming and pursued a basketball career, which has worked out well for him. The ex-husband of reality TV star Kim Kardashian, Humphries enters this season having earned more than $58 million in salary over the course of his 12-year NBA career, according to Pro Basketball Reference.
Humphries spent last season split between the Hawks, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards. He also has played for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks in his career.
Click for the USA swimming record book >>
h/t to Hawks.com
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
