Deion Sanders playing in the NBA? Colorado HC once revealed how CLOSE he came to suiting up alongside Dominique Wilkens

Deion Sanders defied convention by excelling in both the NFL and MLB, even considering an NBA career, had an opportunity to join the Hawks.

Deion Sanders playing in the NBA? Colorado HC once revealed how CLOSE he came to suiting up alongside Dominique Wilkens

Deion Sanders

While Deion Sanders currently thrives as a college football coach, he was a rare breed of athlete in the 1980s. In a time when it’s not common for athletes to be great in more than one sport, Sanders did something amazing. He played professional football and baseball, and he was really good at both. He played in the NFL and MLB for most of his career.

Sanders played for two Atlanta teams, the Atlanta Falcons in football and the Atlanta Braves in baseball. Even after he stopped playing football for ten years, Sanders talked about how he could have played basketball in the NBA, alongside Dominique Wilkins on the Atlanta Hawks. Sanders is the only athlete who played in both the Super Bowl and the World Series. So, besides being awesome in football and baseball, he could have been great in basketball too.

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An opportunity presented itself with the Atlanta Hawks, as their general manager, Stan Kasten, who also served as the GM for the Atlanta Braves, extended the proposal to Sanders. In an interview in 2016, Sanders stated, “I was drafted twice in baseball. But, I was close. I mean really close by. This is right historic. I was really close to playing for the Atlanta Hawks for one game,” “Stan Kasten was gonna allow me to play NBA games so that I could play three professional sports”

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Deion Sanders had a unique opportunity to join forces with NBA Slam Dunk champion Dominique Wilkins. His meticulous strategy to score 10 points in an NBA game showcased his exceptional athleticism. It’s no wonder that Sanders is regarded as a great athlete in both MLB and the NFL. This episode doesn’t come as a surprise; he could have excelled in the NBA as well.

Also Read: Kawhi Leonard had HILARIOUS reaction to Doc Rivers comparing him to Michael Jordan

Deion Sanders: A rare athlete pursuing excellence in three major sports

In the United States, it’s not uncommon to see athletes participating in multiple sports. Sports hold significant importance nationwide, particularly football, basketball, and baseball.

Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders (via Imago)

While some have managed to excel in two sports and reach the professional level, competing at a high level in all three is exceptionally rare. Sanders was a prime candidate for this rare feat because he had already reached the pinnacle of two sports and possessed the physical attributes to excel in the NBA as well.

Michael Jordan is famous for being really good at two sports. In the mid-1990s, he left basketball to play baseball for a while. When he came back to basketball, he helped the Chicago Bulls win three more championships. That’s why many people think he’s the greatest basketball player ever.

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