Best/most impressive cross sport athletes

[Rimbaud82]

It's something that is really interesting imo, when athletes swap to another sport. Either something completely different like basketball to baseball (I know Michael Jordan did that, though I've no idea how good he was) or something less dramatic like swapping between rugby codes which is still very difficult (though to be fair there are a good few).

Maybe the most impressive code hopper is Sonny Bill Williams. Was a hugely talented young player in league, winning the NRL premiership with the Bulldogs (coming off the bench, youngest player ever in a grand final) then swapped after a few years to union. In union he was capped many times for the All-Blacks, winning the world cup in 2011, and won a Super Rugby title with the chiefs. Then he went back to league for two seasons and won another NRL premiership with the Sydney Roosters. Then he went back to union again and won another world cup last year. Now he's playing Rugby Sevens and could conceivably win a gold medal in the up coming olympics. Really impressive career and he also does a bit of boxing, think he has a NZ title.

Union:

League:

Sevens:


Another is Tadhg Kennelly, the only player to have an AFL Premiership (with the Sydney Swans) as well as an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (with Kerry).

AFL:



GAA:



Anyone else have any other good examples?

 

[Frank23]

Bo Jackson was legit.

 

[therealdope]

Antonio Gates?

 

[Rimbaud82]

Bo Jackson was legit.

That's pretty damn awesome, especially since the two sports have no real similarities.

 

[Rimbaud82]

Antonio Gates?

What did he do?

 

[therealdope]

What did he do?

He played college basketball in the US and then became the best TE in professional football without having played it in college. That's pretty crazy.

 

[faustian]

MO SPEIGHTS

 

[Rimbaud82]

He played college basketball in the US and then became the best TE in professional football without having played it in college. That's pretty crazy.

Yeah that is really impressive, there was a college basketball player from the US who recently made his debut in the AFL interestingly enough.

 

[therealdope]

Yeah that is really impressive, there was a college basketball player from the US who recently made his debut in the AFL interestingly enough.

Antonio Gates is basically Jonah Lomu with less cardio. Gates probably goes down as one of the 2 or 3 greatest tight ends to ever play.

 

[RR]

A guy who never gets mentioned is Julius Peppers

 

[manlyseaeagle]

Niall Quinn the ex Sunderland Soccer player also played both Gaelic Football and Hurling and was also offered to play professional Australian Rules Football.

 

[RedCansLoom16]

Kimbo Slice is up there. Went from street fighter, to Bang Bros In The VIP security guy to then killing guys(twice) like Dada 3000 in the ring.

 

[Rimbaud82]

Niall Quinn the ex Sunderland Soccer player also played both Gaelic Football and Hurling and was also offered to play professional Australian Rules Football.

Yeah there are few soccer and rugby guys with GAA backgrounds, since it is so huge here. Tommy Bowe played for Monaghan junior teams for example. Martin O'Neill also played football before moving on to soccer.

 

[10000 Days]

Brock Lesnar

WWF Heavyweight Champion
UFC Heavyweight Champion

Baddest man diagnosed with diverticulitis on the planet right there

 

[jrams]

A guy who never gets mentioned is Julius Peppers

He didn't look very good on the basketball court. Just was bigger than other PFs. Certainly not like Antonio Gates or Nate Robinson.


Mikhail Koklyaev was pretty high level at weightlifting, powerlifting, and strongman at the same time.

 

[Frank23]

Brock Lesnar

WWF Heavyweight Champion
UFC Heavyweight Champion

Baddest man diagnosed with diverticulitis on the planet right there

Heyman Promo: Brock Lesnar Will "Unify" The UFC & WWE Titles

 

[RR]

He didn't look very good on the basketball court. Just was bigger than other PFs. Certainly not like Antonio Gates or Nate Robinson.


Mikhail Koklyaev was pretty high level at weightlifting, powerlifting, and strongman at the same time.

Got regular minutes on a very talented UNC team.

Left out Tony Gonzalez too

 

[therealdope]

A guy who never gets mentioned is Julius Peppers

Tony Gonzalez.

I think his KAL team made it to the elite eight .

 

[therealdope]

Left out Tony Gonzalez too

I missed this^^.

 

[jrams]

Tony Gonzalez.

I think his KAL team made it to the elite eight .

Nope, but Antonio Gates lead his team there.

Syracuse made the finals while McNabb was on the team.

edit:
Stephen Neal won world championship in freestyle wrestling and 3 Superbowl as a guard.