When asked to select their favorite non-league talent, NBA players named Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens as their favorite.
In an anonymous survey, Jackson was selected as the best option by 15 out of 115 participants, according to Sam Amick and Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Caitlin Clark, a guard with the Indiana Fever, came in second with seven votes. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Usain Bolt, and tennis great Novak Djokovic came in third and fourth, respectively, with five and four votes.
Among the players surveyed, Jackson was rated as “one of the best QBs ever since he came into the league.”
The three-time Pro Bowler ran for 821 yards and five touchdowns while passing for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2023 to win his second MVP award. Because of his dual-threat ability, he remains a unique talent in the NFL.
After setting numerous records in her collegiate career, Clark received some positive feedback in the NBA player poll as well.
One person described the 2024 No. 1 overall choice as “unreal.” “I’m excited to see how her journey pans out and what she does for the women’s game.”
During her career at Iowa, Clark averaged 28.4 points and 8.2 assists per game. She also won two national player of the year awards.
Amick and Robbins pointed out that the survey demonstrated the rising acceptance of women’s basketball in general. A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces, Sabrina Ionescu of the New Liberty, and forward Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky each received two votes.
If this topic is posed to NBA players again for the exercise the following year, Watkins might be the one to keep an eye on, considering her performance as a rookie for the Trojans.
