What other sports could Charlotte Hornets players play?

Dwight Howard claimed you could throw a fade to him in the end zone. What other sports could Charlotte Hornets players play?

We all know that NBA players are world class athletes. Many of whom could have gone pro in other sports. LeBron James was a football star in high school and James Johnson is undefeated in seven MMA matches. The real question is, could any Charlotte Hornets players’ crossover and play another sport?

Earlier in the week, Dwight Howard posted this tweet in response to Carolina Panthers Tight End Greg Olsen getting injured:

Me, being the curious person I am, I decided to ask Dwight if he could play Tight End. This was his response:

I’m not sure if there’s ever been a 7-foot tight end in the NFL, but that would be terrifying for defenses. Despite the fact that we were both joking around, it got me thinking. What could other players on the Charlotte Hornets potentially excel in other sports?

I don’t necessarily mean professionally, but any pro athlete most likely could be successful in other areas of sports. Below are some of the best ideas that came to mind.

Frank Kaminsky: Baseball

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A 7-footer playing baseball? Yeah, that would be a rare sight, to say the least. However, I think Frank’s giant frame would allow him to dominate on the mound.

To put in perspective of just how tall Frank would be compared to other players, he is nearly 10 inches taller than the height of an average MLB player.

His height isn’t the only reason I think he could be a “dominant” pitcher. He also can actually play baseball, kinda. Over this past summer, he won a bet because he was able to pitch a baseball 85 MPH. For anyone unfamiliar with baseball, that is extremely impressive for someone who’s a basketball player. The pitch wasn’t necessarily accurate, but it had the velocity.

As I’m sure you’d assume, Frank is a pretty big baseball fan. He’s been on twitter all the time cheering for his hometown Chicago White Sox. The White Sox have one of the worst records in baseball, so maybe in the future, they could use a guy like Frank.

Nicolas Batum: Soccer

Part of me says this because it is one of the most popular sports in France. Growing up, Nic played some soccer, but I’m sure his talent for the game of basketball was noticed very quickly.

Standing 6’8″, he’d be right up there with some of the tallest soccer players in the world. His height isn’t why I think he would excel in soccer, though.

The way he plays basketball is very smooth and fluid. I think he could translate that to the pitch if he wanted.

So much of the game of soccer is about flair. Nic has that. It shows in some of his creative passes, and his unique ways to get shots off. While he may not be at the level of a professional, there’s no doubt in my mind he is superior to anybody else on the Hornets.

Jeremy Lamb: Football

Jeremy Lamb has some of the perfect characteristics to be a wide receiver. His 6’5″ height puts him right up there with the likes of Julio Jones, AJ Green, and Kelvin Benjamin.  

He has that great mix of speed and athleticism that receiver’s need as well. I can picture Jeremy running down the field and making an acrobatic one-handed catch all while getting both of his feet down.

If he were to hypothetically switch to football, he would just need to work on his weight.  Receiver’s his height generally come in a little over 200 pounds. Jeremy is 180.

Malik Monk: Fishing

This one may require a little background information. Also, before you say fishing isn’t a sport, don’t tell Malik that.

Growing up in rural Arkansas, Malik has said he still considers himself to be a country boy. Aside from playing basketball obviously, fishing is one of the other things Malik spent his time doing.

While he’s an extremely athletic guy who probably could play a range of different sports, it wouldn’t surprise me if Malik chose fishing over all the others.  

Maybe fishing reminds him of his life growing up and gives him a chance to relax. It’s hard to say, but maybe down the road when his playing days are over we will see him in Bassmaster tournaments.

Bonus- Rich Cho: Ping Pong

Rich Cho isn’t a Hornets player, but I still felt the need to add this one in. Cho is a man of many talents. Hornets General Manager, Food Critic, and most importantly, ping pong champion.

In both 2013 and 2017, Cho won the charity ping pong tournament over the summer during the Vegas Summer League.  

If Cho had more time on his hands to practice, who knows just how good he could be? Although I’m sure most of us would prefer for him to stick with his current job.

Next: Monk's skillset is a mix between the Splash Bros

I hope you guys enjoyed seeing some of these comparisons. It truly would be interesting to see how many of these guys would fair in sports outside of basketball. If any of you have any other ideas for a Hornets player, let me know on Twitter!