As a rookie, Puka Nacua was one of the NFL’s toughest wide receivers to cover. He set rookie records with 105 catches and 1,486 receiving yards, and that was despite him leading the league in drops.
If professional cornerbacks have trouble matching up with him one-on-one, there’s no chance any NBA players could do it. “Up and Adams” posed the question to Nacua and Justin Jefferson about which NBA players could cover them on the football field.
Unsurprisingly, neither wideout gave the NBA stars much of a chance, though Nacua did say LeBron James could “do whatever he wants on the football field.”
“Of course LeBron could guard me, man. Dang!” Nacua, a massive LeBron fan, said with a huge smile.
The only other player Nacua gave even a slim chance was Ja Morant. “In the red zone, maybe.”
Nacua laughed pretty hard at the idea of Nikola Jokic trying to cover him, and he also brushed off Rudy Gobert after seeing “what Luka did to him.”
“My name is halfway there so I think I got to be close, right?” he said, laughing.
As for Chris Paul?
“No. That’s an easy – that’s a head top. Throw that one above 6 feet, coach, and I’m getting that one.”
All Pro WRs Puka Nacua and Justin Jefferson kept it 💯 about which NBA PLAYERS could cover them on the gridiron 🗣️😅🔊@AsapPuka @JJettas2 @KingJames @theantedwards_ @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/PwkBTupILo
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 12, 2024
Now we just need to know which NBA players Nacua could guard on the hardwood because Puka is a bit of a baller himself, as evidenced in the NBA All-Star celebrity game.