At 33 years old, Larry Nance Jr. is entering his 11th NBA season. Combining his range of experience with his unique perspective, we’re excited for the important ways Alex will help improve our league. On the court, Nance has been a solid contributor across the board, averaging 7.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. In recent weeks, he has made headlines outside the world of basketball. In July, he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers as a free-agent player. This trade represents his homecoming to the team with whom he spent most of his NBA career, playing there from 2018-2021.
Nance’s story hasn’t just revolved around his success as a basketball player, but his lifelong love for soccer. Until age 16, he focused on soccer before deciding to pursue basketball seriously. His love of the game even led him to be one of the owners of Premier League club Leeds United. In 2023, he joined Indiana guard T.J. McConnell in making an important financial investment in the club.
This crossover between basketball and soccer fandom is something that’s growing very common amongst NBA players. Nance points out that many of his peers share a similar enthusiasm for soccer, including notable stars like Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Luka Doncic, James Harden, and Joel Embiid.
Nance couldn’t be more thrilled to showcase this common enthusiasm in a brand new digital series. In it, they’ll explore why NBA players love soccer, uncovering some surprising similarities between both sports. He used this budding initiative to make the case for why that’s so important, saying,
“This show will give stars from around the league the opportunity to let fans hear them talk about their soccer fandom, parallels in the two games, and how we see it as professional athletes.”
With soccer surging in popularity among NBA players, locker rooms have flipped from shot calls to soccer chat. Nance noted the shift, recalling his early days in the league:
“I entered the NBA in 2015, and I was probably one of only a couple of guys in the league that could tell you who won the Premier League the previous season. Now, soccer is a constant conversation starter in the locker room. Soccer’s popularity has grown so much over the past 10 years, as has the international influence on the NBA creating more and more players that follow the game consistently.”
In addition to his ownership role at Leeds United, Nance has engaged with soccer superstars by exchanging jerseys during NBA games. It’s this type of genuine interaction that really brings to life his commitment to connecting the worlds of basketball and soccer.
As he prepares for another NBA season, Larry Nance Jr. is poised not only to contribute to his team on the court but to enrich the cultural dialogue surrounding sports through his unique perspectives on soccer and its growing influence among professional athletes.
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