In what sport is it most difficult to turn pro?

[Uptown Swinger]

And by PRO I mean compete in the very highest league: NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL etc.
I don't know how soccer works but I think there are a lot of pro leagues.

RANK THEM 1-5

Some things to consider:
The necessary skill required.
The level of athleticism required.
The amount of people who are competing to get signed and turn pro
vs
The size of the league/ number of teams/ number of spots on the roster etc.

I would say…

NBA is the most difficult , followed by:
NFL
MLB
NHL

I am probably wrong and I don't know how soccer fits in
but I want to see others opinions.

I was only thinking about the US population.
Feel free to include the rest of the world.

 

[DangDaGawd]

Totally dependent on the individual trying to turn pro.

/thread

 

[Tebowned]

MMA... Ehh... professional basketball imo.

Not only do you have to be good you have to be tall.

 

[bragglefraggle]

Baseball.

 

[Lifer]

MMA... Ehh... professional basketball imo.

Not only do you have to be good you have to be tall.

This.

 

[Jimmy Tuna**]

MMA... Ehh... professional basketball imo.

Not only do you have to be good you have to be tall.

NBA has the fewest players on roster, right?

I mean, there's 5 guys on the court at a time.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Baseball.

Its probably baseball if you count grown men trying to take it up after 0 experience. But if you are talking about train from child type of thing, then its certainly not baseball.

I think basketball requires better genetics than football. But barely.

Sprinting, Oly lifting, and gymnastics come to mind as well.

 

[nostradumbass]

Probably tennis. It costs a ton of money to travel to tournaments and if you have 1 bad match and lose 1st round somewhere, you basically lost money by playing it.

 

[jmadtx]

nascar?

 

[Its Me Austin]

Football.

 

[INeedARemedy]

NHL has to be up there too. You're competing with people from a lot of different countries for a roster spot. I feel like it's difficult in a different sort of way

 

[Makani]

NHL has to be up there too. You're competing with people from a lot of different countries for a roster spot. I feel like it's difficult in a different sort of way

And there are a lot of overlapping skillsets you need to have. Skating, shooting, passing, checking, blocking shots, there's a lot going on at any given moment. But I admit I might be biased. NFL is hella easy if you count all the guys just sitting on the bench waiting to get put on for one play a game.

 

[FLYOVER BOSSMAN]

Its probably baseball if you count grown men trying to take it up after 0 experience. But if you are talking about train from child type of thing, then its certainly not baseball.

I would put baseball and basketball as the hardest skill wise to get to the highest levels. Why do you think youths as young as 12 play 70+ games a year in summer baseball and there's so many minor leagues to groom potential pros? Even first round draft picks flop at a much higher rate than other major sports. Nothing is guaranteed in baseball, and you can't athletic your way into being able to hit a curveball, or having high baseball IQ.

 

[therealdope]

Formula one.

I bet surfing is no joke either.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

I would put baseball and basketball as the hardest skill wise to get to the highest levels. Why do you think youths as young as 12 play 70+ games a year in summer baseball and there's so many minor leagues to groom potential pros? Even first round draft picks flop at a much higher rate than other major sports. Nothing is guaranteed in baseball, and you can't athletic your way into being able to hit a curveball, or having high baseball IQ.

True. But skills can be developed, genetics not so much. A sport requiring massive amount of skill and excellent genetics < a sport requiring a slightly lesser amount of skill and also elite top tier genetics.

 

[FLYOVER BOSSMAN]

True. But skills can be developed, genetics not so much. A sport requiring massive amount of skill and excellent genetics < a sport requiring a slightly lesser amount of skill and also elite top tier genetics.

I agree. I guess I was just quibbling with your skills assessment. Basketball does probably take the highest amount of skill and genetics to get to the highest level. There's also a vast talent pool compared to niche sports like racing, X-Games type sports, and Olympic sports.

 

[PUO3]

Driving cars isnt a fucking sport.

 

[therealdope]

Driving cars isnt a fucking sport.

Driving an F-1 car sure is. You think that the median MLB player is a better athlete than an F-1 driver?

 

[Jimmy Tuna**]

Maybe boxing or wrestling if we count that

 

[biscuitsbrah]

I agree. I guess I was just quibbling with your skills assessment. Basketball does probably take the highest amount of skill and genetics to get to the highest level. There's also a vast talent pool compared to niche sports like racing, X-Games type sports, and Olympic sports.

No doubt baseball requires a ton of skill, probably more than basketball and football. Baseball is quite static so it really doesnt require the extremely elite athleticism and genetics as much basketball and football.

Im sure there have been people who started playing basketball and football above the age of 18 and made it to the pros. But the amount of people who have done that in baseball is probably 0 eh?