While he's much better known for his quarterback ability, Texans rookie sensation CJ Stroud is also an avid basketball fan — although his NBA all-time starting five might have fans wondering whether he really knows ball.
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Stroud took part in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at All-Star Weekend earlier this month — and proceeded to score 31 points while grabbing 16 rebounds in the game.
Yet, it was Stroud's comments before the game that may have made the most headlines.
During a conversation with NBA podcaster Sloane Weinstein, Stroud was asked to give his all-time NBA starting five.
CJ Stroud’s All Time NBA Starting 5! pic.twitter.com/Mgr1uqtHMO
— Sloane Knows (@sloaneknows) February 29, 2024
"I'll go Steph [Curry] at one, Kobe [Bryant] at two, KD [Kevin Durant] at three, Dirk [Nowitzki] at four and Shaq at five," Stroud told Weinstein.
While there's no question that Stroud's starting five is a solid group of NBA legends, conspicuous by their absence are the two men largely considered to be the NBA's two GOATs: Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Stroud omitting James from his all-time starting five is especially surprising, given that Stroud played his college ball at Ohio State — a school that James is an outspoken fan of, and has even said that he would have attended if he decided to play in college instead of going straight to the NBA after high school.
The disrespect toward Jordan is at least a little bit more understandable, considering that Stroud was born in 2001, and Jordan retired in 2003, at age 40.
Then again, how could somebody watch Jordan's decade-plus of greatness depicted on 'The Last Dance' and not make him a shoo-in for any all-time roster?
Yet, even is Stroud's starting five is somewhat suspect, we can't deny that the dude can hoop.
Stroud has also proven that he loves to put on a show at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium. Not only was the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend held there, but Stroud's most recent performance at the stadium before the Celebrity Game was when he completing 20 of 26 passes for 264 yards against the Colts, including a 75-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins that sealed a victory for Stroud's Texans and a secured trip to the NFL playoffs.
Texans fans will be willing to forgive Stroud's NBA snubs, so long as he keeps producing performances like those.
