As the season gets underway, NBA betting has surged massively among online and physical bookmakers all over the world. While fans worldwide are rushing to support their favourite teams and players, they probably don’t consider that some of the players are massive fans of other sports. Soccer is perhaps the most popular game in the world, and many NBA stars like to spend their downtime supporting football teams. It’s not just NBA players who enjoy watching football; we know that NFL players, track stars, and tennis players enjoy taking to the stand to support their favourite teams.
Steve Nash
On the court, Steve Nash is an NBA star. In his downtime, he also enjoys soccer. His favourite team is UK club Tottenham Hotspur FC, but he also co-owns the Vancouver Whitecaps. Since he became one of the owners, he was responsible for helping them take their place in the MLS for their first season in 2011. It is rumoured that Nash proposed purchasing a minority stake in Tottenham but was turned down. His love for football can often be seen on the basketball court, as he likes to kick his basketball on occasion.
LeBron James
Where one NBA player failed, another succeeded. LeBron James did manage to buy a stake in his favourite football club. A devout Liverpool football club fun and now part owner, he is seen from time to time at the historically significant Anfield stadium watching his team take to the pitch at home.
Kobe Bryant
NBA lost a true talent in 2020 with the sad passing of Kobe Bryant. However, had his parents stayed in Italy when Kobe was just a teenager, his likely career path in sports would have been soccer. It is no surprise that although becoming a superstar for the NBA, he kept his love for football and was a well-known supporter of AC Milan and FC Barcelona.
Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson
While he might be a legend of the NFL, Johnson is also a massive fan of soccer. During the NFL lock out of 2011 he turned his hand to potentially becoming a professional soccer player. The move didn’t go as well as he had hoped as he tried to get a place with Sporting Kansas City MLS team. In his downtime, he is still an avid soccer supporter but seems a little displaced from his career now as he has been cut from the NFL team.
Usain Bolt
The fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt, is also an avid soccer fan who loves the British team Manchester United. His love of the game has prompted United to see if this sprinter can transition to football and are allowing him to try and make the cut for their team.
Rafael Nadal
Even when tennis training fills his days, Nadal still makes time to support his favourite football club Real Madrid. This world-class tennis pro loves football so much that he was instrumental in saving Mallorca football club when they faced bankruptcy. This is, of course, his hometown but his favourite team to support is still Madrid. In a recent commercial for Nike, Nadal came face-to-face with Cristiano Ronaldo in a head-to-head soccer tennis match.
