Best Non-Lacrosse Athletes

With former Tewaaraton winner Pat Spencer making his NCAA basketball pre-season debut with Northwestern University this week, we asked the question, which current non-lacrosse athlete could be the most successful in lacrosse?

Our Instagram post received some solid responses, so we thought we’d dive a little further to try to answer this question. We’ll start with the responses we received from the post, then go into our own picks.

1. @StringsByJP – Chris Paul

“CP3 would be disgusting at X. Low center of gravity and great change of direction mixed with his vision and hand eye coordination? Filth.”

This might be one of the strongest suggestions and justifications. Paul has amazing court vision, good size, and solid quickness, all things that would make him a very solid X attackman. Don’t expect him to put up a ton of goals, especially considering he’s 34 years old, but if John Grant Jr. can still put up points in the MLL, Paul could absolutely dish a few apples on a pro lacrosse roster.

2. @chrismurphy2424 – Taysom Hill

Another strong suggestion, as the New Orleans Saints’ backup quarterback/overall utility player could find some success on the lacrosse field. Much like his NFL career, it would be hard to find the right place for Hill. Standing 6’2, 230 lbs. and running a 4.44 40-yard dash, Hill could be a weapon really anywhere on the field. Quarterbacks typically don’t like getting hit, so I would have trouble putting him on the defensive side of the ball, but his size, speed, and vision could make him a pretty lethal offensive-minded midfielder.

3. @antdio27 – Michael Phelps

It was brought up in the comment that Phelps used to play lacrosse as a kid, which is a bit against the rules of the question, however he is currently in a sport that is vastly different from lacrosse, so I’ll give him an exception. While Phelps’ range (6’4 with a 6’7 wingspan) would be a matchup nightmare on the defensive side of the ball, I would be hesitant to say he’s as fast on land as he is in the water. Granted, he’d have the stamina to stay on the field longer than anyone else.

4. @joelaltman/@mac.leftcoastlax – Steph Curry/Any NBA Guard

“Great understanding of space and are used to navigating a smaller space while bouncing a ball instead of cradling it,”
We kind of covered this one with Chris Paul, and while I generally agree that a guy like Kyrie Irving or Steph Curry could make a solid shifty midfield/attack type, I would be worried about longevity in the game. Guards are typically smaller guys, and a lacrosse field is much bigger than a basketball court. While of course they are some of the best athletes in the world, NBA guards would have to get used to the contact and different looks in lacrosse. Plus, a guy like Russell Westbrook or James Harden would need to learn to pass before someone like Tucker Durkin eats them alive on a slide.

5. @HockeyMonkey – “Me”

Strongly disagree.

1. Patrick Mahomes

This is a bit of a personal pick being a Chiefs fan, but Mahomes’ arm strength, agility, and flair for the dramatic could land him on a PLL roster in a heartbeat. His stepdown shot would easily break triple digits, and his field vision would make him a menace running the fast break. Plus, who wouldn’t want to watch the game that he’s mic’ed up?

2. Johnny Gaudreau

Regarded as one of the quickest skaters in the NHL, Gaudreau would be a flash around the lacrosse field. At only 5’9, 165 lbs., I’d be worried about him taking his knocks, but as a hockey player, he absolutely has the toughness. As a nearly 100-point scorer for the Calgary Flames last year, Gaudreau would be a sneaky attackman who could slip into the right shooting spots with ease and has the poise to bury goals.

3. Mike Trout

A freakish mix of size and speed with clear hand-eye coordination, Trout would be a force on the defensive side of the ball. Drawing comparisons to the aforementioned Tucker Durkin, Trout’s calm demeanor would be just enough to lure his attackman into a sense of security, until Trout lays the homerun check on their arm, rendering them useless for the rest of the game.

Who did we forget? Comment below!