Over and Back: NBA stars who mastered a second sport

Jason and Rich discuss NBA players who starred in other professional sports in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.

They discuss Wilt Chamberlain’s post-NBA professional volleyball career with teams like the Seattle Smashers and the Southern California Bangers, the Big Dipper’s dominating performance on national TV after a fellow star’s criticism, 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward’s decision to pick the NBA over the NFL, Ward’s success in baseball and tennis as well, Danny Ainge balancing baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays with basketball at BYU and the legal battle for Ainge to get into the NBA with the Boston Celtics.

Jason and Rich also dig into UCLA star (and good pal of Bill Walton) Bill Lee’s prolific beach volleyball career in the 1970s, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton’s career in baseball’s Negro Leagues and black pro basketball teams before becoming one of the first African-Americans to join the NBA, Gene Conley balancing a successful major league baseball career with being Bill Russell’s backup with the Celtics and winning rings in both sports, as well as his infamous three-day bender where he left a team bus and tried to fly to Jerusalem.

They also touch on the multi-sport careers of Michael Jordan, legendary Cleveland Browns QB Otto Graham, TV star Chuck Connors, Scott Burrell, Dave DeBusschere, Tim Duncan, Keith Erickson, John Havlicek, Pat Riley, Bill Sharman, Nate Robinson, Allen Iverson and more.

Next: The 50 most interesting players in European hoops

Over and Back: NBA stars who mastered a second sport

By Jason Mann | Sep 7, 2017

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