B-ball: ATP pros vs the top HS basketball players in the USA. Who do you pick to represent the ATP?

Assuming the top Division 2 prospect high school basketball players in the USA were to face a team of current ATP tennis pros, who would you pick to represent the ATP, and what position would they play? Also, would the ATP pros stand a chance? Discuss.

My picks would look like this.

Reilly Opelka: Center
John Isner: Power forward
Dustin Brown: Small forward
Nick Kyrgios: Shooting guard
Kei Nishikori: Point guard

Dr. Ivo and Isner would have no chance. They are too slow. Not that any of the ATP could compete with any of the McD's AA's.

ATP should just trot out whatever 6-4 to 6-7 most athletic guys they have and maybe they can hang because of their fitness levels. but that's a big maybe.

hollywood9826 said:

Dr. Ivo and Isner would have no chance. They are too slow. Not that any of the ATP could compete with any of the McD's AA's.

ATP should just trot out whatever 6-4 to 6-7 most athletic guys they have and maybe they can hang because of their fitness levels. but that's a big maybe.

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I think you're right about Ivo, but Isner was a D1 prospect in high school basketball.

This is such a stupid question. Nadal Federer 08 French open would look like a close match compared to this game. If vegas made betting lines they would have to give the atp team 80 or something close to that.

T1000 said:

This is such a stupid question. Nadal Federer 08 French open would look like a close match compared to this game. If vegas made betting lines they would have to give the atp team 80 or something close to that.

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Not really, when you consider that the ATP players have the fitness and strength advantages. They'll also likely have a height advantage as well.

Simon_the_furry said:

Not really, when you consider that the ATP players have the fitness and strength advantages. They'll also likely have a height advantage as well.

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The high school players are essentially a year or two removed from being pros. The gap in athleticism between a tennis player and a basketball player is substantial. Basketballers jump higher, run faster, are more used to physicality and of course are better adept at placing a 29" leather ball in a round hoop. The ATP team would be demolished even by mediocre McDonald's all-Americans. Put them up against Greg Oden, Mike Conley, the Lopez twins, Durant, LeBron James in high school it would be murder.

Old Skool Graphite said:

The high school players are essentially a year or two removed from being pros. The gap in athleticism between a tennis player and a basketball player is substantial. Basketballers jump higher, run faster, are more used to physicality and of course are better adept at placing a 29" leather ball in a round hoop. The ATP team would be demolished even by mediocre McDonald's all-Americans. Put them up against Greg Oden, Mike Conley, the Lopez twins, Durant, LeBron James in high school it would be murder.

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You guys are probably right. I've rephrased the question. It's now "Top Division 2 prospects in the nation"

I played in a Church league several decades ago and we had a guy show up on our team and he was 6'6". I knew the guy but had never seen him on the basketball court. The other side seemed pretty impressed that we had someone so tall. But he couldn't play. He didn't have any natural athletic talent that I could see. He was just ... tall. And not being able to move well (even decent tennis players can do this), take jumpers, rebound, etc.

That's to say nothing of the training for team play or even one-on-one stuff.

Simon_the_furry said:

I think you're right about Ivo, but Isner was a D1 prospect in high school basketball.

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Isner was being recruited like 13-15 years ago. They style of game played is night and day different than it was then. and a 32 year old isner has no chance of keeping up with any of the top high school 7 footers.

Simon_the_furry said:

You guys are probably right. I've rephrased the question. It's now "Top Division 2 prospects in the nation"

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I don't exactly know the level of D2 basketball. But looking at the stat leaders the D2 guys are still plenty tall. Guards will be 6 foot to 6-2 and a couple front courters in the 6-10 range. Having not seen them play I don't know their level of athleticism. What separates the the 30th best basketball player from the 500th best in the country? I have no idea.

I still know the D2 guys play and practice basketball everyday and the ATP guys do not.

And a guy like Thomas Walkup who was only recruited by Stephen F Austin and Houston Baptist is as fringe a D1 prospect that can come and he the best player on the court against WVU in that 2016 first round game. So the D-2 guys should still wipe the floor with ATP guys.


Now if we make the same argument but with Female MC'ds AA's the ATP men win everytime.

Chang needs to be included, he has god on his side.