Terrelle Pryor Try Basketball if WR Fails?
The Cleveland Browns took a risk signing Terrelle Pryor to play wide receiver this season. That risk may not pay off for either the Browns or the former Ohio State Buckeyes QB. Some, including this writer, believe that Pryor still could be a solid NFL QB but he is unlikely to get that chance. He is getting a chance at WR and first reports out of camp today says he looks pretty good.
The question for Pryor is if this position change doesn’t work, does he try to change sports next?
Seems like a wild speculation kind of question, and it sort of is, but tonight I was made aware that Pryor actually played ball in high school and wasn’t half bad. That led to some simple Google searches to find more information about him as a basketball player:
Scout: Pryor was the 35th ranked player in basketball:
"Pryor had finished with 25 points and showed a versatile game that makes it clear why he’s one of the most wanted men – both on the football field and also the hardwood.He’s a terrific athlete blessed with size who has terrific vision. While the knock on him in the past has been selfish play, Pryor showed plenty of unselfishness while tossing passes a"
"His basketball statistics are equally impressive. During the 2006-2007 season he averaged 20.8 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks as the Jayhawks reached the Class AA state semifinals. He had six triple doubles. He averaged 21.5 points and 10 rebounds with 50 dunks as a sophomore. As a freshman he averaged 16.8 points and 10 rebounds. His career total of 1,658 points is 61 short of the school record and the team has compiled a 73-14 record during that period.Current Jeannette basketball coach Jim Nesser points out, “What makes him so great is that he’s so unselfish. He can be a point guard, forward or post. He is really hard to guard. He’s so explosive. The key word is versatile. He just keeps getting better. I’ve never heard him say anything about statistics – it’s all about winning. He’s pretty level headed.”"
Now is it unrealistic to think Pryor, after not playing college ball or organized basketball could compete at the NBA level? Yes of course it is but his highlight tapes, his size and his explosiveness makes it an intriguing thing to think about:
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His stroke looks clean. He can dribble, pass, post up and play defense. Obviously he was playing against a bunch of undersized kids but Pryor’s athletic ability should not be minimized.
Pryor is far more likely to make the Browns as a WR for the same reasons it wouldn’t be a certain no if he wanted to try his hand at an NBA tryout. He is a great athlete, works hard and his highlight tape shows a great feel for the game.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, with everything else they have going on, would likely pass on giving him a shot but LeBron James could influence that decision to change. Worst case scenario would be Pryor getting cut pretty quickly. Best case, the Cavs have another wing player who can provide a couple of minutes in garbage time.
Even if Terrelle Pryor fails as an NFL WR (again I think he should still be playing QB) he is unlikely to get a shot in the NBA. However, were you as surprised as I when watching his highlight tape from high school?