The NBA is full of freak athletes. Huge, fast, great ball skills and full of anger. Basketball is kind of a contact sport, but not really. Imagine if these lads were your opposition in a rugby game. FUCK THAT. I thought I would put together the NBA’s best rugby team. This team could cause a few upsets around the globe and would be an unreal watch.

 

1- Demarcus Cousins – A genuine body in the front row, aka big and fat. Cousins provides the sain and live wire meathead you need to get under the opposition’s skin. Subbed at the 45min mark every game so he doesn’t get binned in crunch time.

 

2 -Draymond Green – Unreal around the park, relentless motor and is the voice of the forward pack. Doesn’t mind kicking the other hooker in the nuts at scrum time, and accurate thrower in the lineout.

 

3- Al Jefferson – The stoner in him is the calming influence needed, to keep the egos in the front row at bay. A low post dinamo in hoops, would translate well to the tight 5. Although, he would would only be hitting rucks on one side of the field.

 

4 -Andre Drummond – Drummond would be a fantastic, hard-nosed, ball running lock. A pick and roll nightmare, would see him translate those lob catching skills into lineout jumping. Unforgiving, and a Brad Thorne type presence.

 

5 -Steven Adams – Rugby is in his blood. Built like a brick shit house, Adams is a no brainer to round out the tight 5. A real handful for the opposition hanging around the mid field for off loads and short balls direct from the half back. The animal, no fucks attitude needed.

 

6 -Giannis Antetokounmpo – Just a Freak around the park – always the second most athletic guy in the game. Can slot into lock if needed. Rangy, and has great support play.

 

7 -Kawai Leonard – 37 tackles a game, and an absolute menace in the tackle ball. The silent assassin, and leads from the front. Very Sir Richie like in personality. Lets his play do the talking.

 

8 -Blake Griffin – Explosive off the scrum and gets around the park. Griffin is known for his big tackling and a target at the back of the line out with his hops. Another freak athlete in the looseys, and has an eye for the turn over. One of the poster boys of the team.

 

9 -Chris Paul – Paul is a gifted distributer. He posses bullet passes both ways and snipes well around the ruck. You can count on him to run when you need to run, and pass when you need to pass. A great communicator, linking the forwards with the backs brilliantly.

 

10 – James Harden – The allusive one. Knows how to draw a penalty from the opposition and has a massive left foot punt.  Great vision on attack, liability on defence.

 

11- John Wall – The fastest on the park. Electric from the back and has best step in the game. Wall is safe as houses under the high ball and has a useful fend. Optimis Dime will have a field day crossing the chalk.

 

12 – JJ Reddick (Captian) – someone has to control these athletes and he has a knack for eyeing gaps, and is fantastic at running of screens. A dynamic and effective member of the teams 1-2 cuts.

 

13 -Lebron James – Greatest athlete in the world! He has been seen jumping over his opposition, and one of the most obvious backline moves in the game, M2, is turned into the league’s most dangerous. Think SBW on steroids – QUE the lebron haters

 

14 -Russell Westbrook – It will be hard keeping him away from the ball, so expect to find him often creeping in to get amongst the pick and rolls. Russ’s electric, athleticism will be an absolute nightmare to mark, and he will often be the instigator in scraps. Even being on the wing, expect the commentators to say his name 50-60 times a game.

 

15 -Gordon Hayward – Surprisingly athletic. He would have an educated punt and controls the game well at the back. Great under the high ball and has natural positional play. Plus he looks like Bender low key.

 

Reserves:

16 – PJ Tucker (Hooker)- hard nosed / nuggety type character. Great on defense.

 

17 -Boris Diaw(Prop) – versatile front rower, plays both sides of the scrum, only good for about 20 minutes.

 

18- Glen ‘Baby’ Davis(Prop) – Could not be left out, made to be a prop forward.

 

19 -Serge Ibaka (Lock / 6) – Hard as fuck, covers the lineout and makes tackles, rangy. Lucky it’s not an age group team as no one knows his legit age.

 

20 -Aaron Gordan (7/8) – Covers 7 and 8 – pace and explosiveness around the park – great impact in last 20

 

21 – Isiah Thomas (9) – zippy of the back of ruck and scrum – controls the 4th quarter.

 

22 -Jeremy Lin 10/12) – Rugby is an international game – think Owen Farrell who knows calculus

 

23- Jimmy Butler – (13/14/15) powerful, fast, safe defence on the back.