Nets guard Dennis Schröder makes soccer debut as newest two-sport athlete

by Christina S. Brown
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Social media is buzzing about Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schröder making his soccer debut in Germany on Friday.

The 30-year-old grew up in Braunschweig, Germany and beforehand performed for Phantoms Braunschweig (2010-13) and SG Braunschweig (2009-13) earlier than setting his sights on the NBA. 

He spent the primary 5 years of his skilled basketball profession with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18), adopted by two years with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. Schröder was part of 5 completely different groups earlier than touchdown with the Nets in 2024.

That mentioned, and with Schröder’s soccer endeavors in full pressure, let’s check out different notable two-sport athletes.

Bo Jackson

Jackson, arguably one of the best athlete to come back out of Auburn, has a case for being one of the best two-sport athlete on document.

He was initially the primary general choose within the 1986 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however he as an alternative opted to purse an MLB profession with the Kansas Metropolis Royals, who chosen him within the fourth spherical of the 1986 MLB Draft. Jackson did not get constant enjoying time till 1987, however he proceeded to blast 20-plus dwelling runs in 4 consecutive seasons, together with totaling 32 dwelling runs and 105 RBIs in 1989. All of the whereas, Jackson ended up additionally enjoying within the NFL for the then-Oakland Raiders, starting in 1987. He spent 4 years within the NFL, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, and had the longest run within the league in all however a kind of 4 seasons.

Jackson by no means performed in additional than 135 MLB video games or 11 NFL video games in a single common season. In truth, Jackson by no means performed in a September NFL sport because of ending out the season with the Royals. Nonetheless, he grew to become each a one-time MLB All-Star and a one-time Professional Bowler.

Deion Sanders

Sanders was a six-time All-Professional and inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame for being probably the greatest defensive backs in NFL historical past. He additionally wreaked havoc on the baseball diamond.

Sanders started his MLB profession in 1989 with the New York Yankees, however he later grew to become a key determine for the Atlanta Braves. Most notably, Sanders led the game with 14 triples in simply 97 video games in 1992, whereas additionally batting .304. He later hit an astonishing .533 within the 1992 World Collection, which got here earlier than he performed for the Atlanta Falcons of their Week 6 sport towards the Miami Dolphins. He then famously hopped on a aircraft to Pittsburgh, the place he was current for the Braves’ Recreation 5 Nationwide League Championship Collection matchup towards the Pirates.

Sanders performed in elements of 9 MLB seasons and 14 seasons within the NFL.

Dave Winfield

Winfield was a multi-sport athlete at Minnesota. On the hardwood, he performed a high-minute rotation function for the Golden Gophers and impressed sufficient for the Atlanta Hawks to pick out him within the fifth spherical of the 1973 NBA Draft. The Minnesota Vikings additionally drafted Winfield within the NFL draft that very same 12 months.

That mentioned, Winfield additionally performed baseball, which was finally the trail he continued on. In a profession spent primarily with the Yankees and San Diego Padres, Winfield was a seven-time Gold Glover, 12-time All-Star and later inducted into the Baseball Corridor of Fame. He completed his profession with 465 dwelling runs and 1,833 RBIs.

Michael Jordan

Extensively thought of to be one of the best participant to ever choose up a basketball, Jordan additionally as soon as tried his hand at baseball.

Jordan signed a deal to play for the Chicago White Sox’s Double-A affiliate, the Birmingham Barons, stepping away from the Chicago Bulls in the course of the 1993-94 NBA season. He performed all the minor-league season, most notably driving in 51 runs and stealing 30 bases, however Jordan additionally hit simply .202 and by no means climbed the ranks.

Jordan went on to be a five-time NBA MVP, six-time NBA champion, 10-time scoring champion and landed himself within the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame.

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Charlie Ward

Ward is among the greatest gamers within the historical past of Florida State’s soccer program, because the quarterback gained the 1993 Heisman Trophy and helped the Seminoles win the nationwide championship that very same season. 

That mentioned, he additionally performed basketball at FSU and caught with it on the subsequent stage, being chosen by the New York Knicks within the first spherical of the 1994 NBA Draft. Ward performed the majority of his 11-year NBA profession with the Knicks.

Jeff Samardzija

Samardzija was as soon as probably the greatest beginning pitchers in baseball and a participant each contender needed to amass by way of commerce, however he was additionally a star extensive receiver for Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-4 wideout posted 1,000-plus receiving yards and 10-plus receiving touchdowns in each 2005 and 2006 at Notre Dame and was a one-time All-American; he finally selected baseball.

Danny Ainge

Ainge will at all times be remembered as a productive and high quality member of the Boston Celtics, amongst different groups, however previous to his time within the NBA, he performed for the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto chosen Ainge within the fifteenth spherical of the 1977 MLB Draft. Whereas he struggled to get right into a rhythm within the batter’s field, Ainge appeared in a mixed 211 video games for the Blue Jays from 1979-81, ending with 146 profession hits. The Celtics then chosen Ainge within the second spherical of the 1981 NBA Draft, with him occurring to begin and win two championships with them; Ainge performed 14 seasons within the NBA.

Kyler Murray

Murray is already a two-time Professional Bowler who runs circles round defenses and has earned a $230.5 million extension from the Arizona Cardinals. He was additionally the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma and the primary general choose within the 2019 NFL DraftB, however Murray was additionally a vastly gifted baseball participant.

Murray was chosen by the Oakland Athletics as an outfielder with the ninth general choose within the 2018 MLB Draft and employed the infamous Scott Boras as his agent.

Gable Steveson 

The 6-foot-1, 275-pound former Olympic gold medalist and probably the most dominant school wrestlers in NCAA historical past, Steveson is predicted to play line of defense for the Buffalo Payments this fall, marking his try at skilled soccer. 

Steveson lately signed a normal rookie three-year deal and can now got down to be a part of Bob Hayes as the one athlete ever to win a Tremendous Bowl ring and an Olympic gold medal, per ESPN.

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