10. Dwight Howard (NBA)

Nationality: USA
Height: 6’11”
Weight: 265 lbs
Age: 25 yrs
Team: Orlando Magic

Ideal Position: Middle Blocker
Style: Indoor

To kick off part 2, we head back into the NBA to pick out the starting center for the Magic, Dwight Howard. The “Superman”-though he may not have been the first basketball star to give himself this nickname”- certainly “represents the man of steel” persona well. From his gravity defying dunks to his monster presence on the defensive end, Howard has established himself as a perennial MVP candidate in the NBA. Individual success has been plentiful for Dwight in his career so far. He’s consistently among the league leaders in scoring, blocks, and rebounds, and has won the Defensive Player of the Year award for each of the last three seasons (and is having another stellar statistical season). At this point, he shows no signs of slowing down.

The major knock on Dwight is that he hasn’t been able to translate this dominating play into significant team success. Since their NBA Finals appearance in 2009, the Magic have struggled against elite competition in the playoffs. True that Dwight hasn’t been surrounded with good enough teammates for a championship (it’s one of the reason’s he’s demanded to be traded) but as the team leader, some of the blame has to fall on Dwight’s shoulders.

Dwight’s skill set would make him perfect to play either middle blocker or opposite.  His height and strength will be valuable up front, and with a vertical of nearly 40”, he’ll be that much deadlier. Passing will be a difficult skill for Dwight to pick up on, but expect him to be a defensive monster up at the net. Even without any real training, he’d pound the ball straight down and have it reach somewhere near the ceiling. Unfortunately, Dwight’s history indicates even with all the coaching in the world, he’s probably still going to try to mindlessly pound every ball into oblivion, and this can come back to haunt him. A kill inside the 3m line with massive topspin looks awesome during warm-ups, but it’s also one of the easiest shots to block.

It’s not a knock on Dwight’s dedication to his sport. Over the course of his career, he’s put in countless hours in the gym to improve on his skills as a basketball player. Yet whenever games get tight, he resorts back to trying to overpower opponents with his athleticism which often backfires. Dwight will continue to struggle unless he is able to incorporate more finesse into his game. Honestly, Dwight Howard should be placed a lot higher on this list. No other player has his combination of height, strength, speed, and athletic ability. But at this point in his career, he hasn’t shown enough to convince me that he’ll be much more than a one dimensional player. Of course, none of this will stop Howard from becoming a defensive menace on the volleyball court, and my guess is that most teams will jump at the opportunity to sign him.

9. Gael Monfils (ATP)

Nationality: France
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 177 lbs
Age: 24

Ideal Position: Outside Hitter
Style: Beach

Gael Monfils is truly one of the most unique characters in all of sports. He’s currently ranked number 13 in the world, and when he steps out onto the court, his presence commands the crowd’s full attention. He moves with grace, strikes with power, and has an excellent touch around the net. And to top it off, Monfils possesses more raw athleticism than any other player on the tour. Standing 6’4” and in the prime of his career, Monfils should be dominating every tournament he enters, yet he consistently finds himself losing in the early rounds of the Grand Slam Tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) to opponents he should be beating. He most recently was ousted from the US Open in the second round by Spanish veteran, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and earlier last month he lost at the Australian Open in the third round.

From a coach’s standpoint, Monfils is both incredible and frustrating to deal with. Athletic specimens like Monfils come around once or twice in a generation but at the same time, it’s very frustrating to watch him come up short time after time simply because of his lack of focus. Monfils is a showman first and a winner second. He often opts to make a spectacular (and much more complicated play) rather than making the more efficient, less flashy move to end the point quickly. His lack of coach-ability would be the only thing to hold him back as a volleyball player, but if he gets on a good team with teammates to push him in the right direction, get ready to be amazed.

With his speed, agility, and hops, Gael Monfils would make an excellent outside hitter. Monfils’ quickness and length would make him a great at keeping balls in play, and his delicate touch at the net would translate well when it comes to passing and digging. The overhead shot in tennis is one of Monfils’ best weapons and also one of his all time favorites, making him ideal to play at the outside spot in volleyball. He’d be a great asset both offensively and defensively.

While Monfils is suited to excel indoors, his laid back attitude would probably be best expressed on the sand in beautiful sunshine (he’ll realize many tournaments are also played in the cold). Beach volleyball will also be a lot easier on his body when he dives after all those loose balls. The spotlight will be welcomed by Monfils’ presence, and beach fans will embrace him quickly.

8. Steve Nash (NBA)

Nationality: Canada
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 178 lbs
Age: 37
Team: Phoenix Suns

Ideal Position: Setter, libero
Style: beach, indoor (only in 6-2)

This next choice might surprise a lot of folks out there. After all, when pondering great physical specimens, Steve Nash is generally not included in the first 100 or so people that first come to mind. Listed at 6’3” (which might be a little exaggerated) and 178 lbs, Nash isn’t exactly built like the average volleyball pro. He isn’t all that fast, possesses no vertical threat, and has been plagued with chronic back problems for a great portion of his career. But even with all these so called “disadvantages”, Nash, at the tender age of 37,  is easily one of the 15 best players in the NBA. Now don’t get me wrong,  Nash is still plenty athletic. He’s extremely well conditioned and his lateral quickness is heavily underrated. But it’s his passing, ball handling, shooting touch, basketball IQ, mental and physical toughness, and leadership that have helped him stay at the top for this long.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Nash would be an excellent setter. His court vision is unrivaled and he’s got the touch to hit teammates from all angles. He also knows how to get creative in tough situations. Part of being a setter is having the ability to create something useful out of a broken play. Not every pass will be perfect, but the setter is responsible for  giving his team a chance to hit a ball. With his quick thinking and brilliant skill, Nash can be trusted to make a good set from any spot on the court. Nash is also a great leader, and his teammates will look to him for guidance during tough moments. He knows how to make his teammates better, and that’s a quality that cannot be taught.

Unfortunately at only 6’3” (and remember, no vertical threat), Nash would become a defensive liability for his team when he rotates into the front row. His coach could avoid this issue by using him in a 4-2 lineup (2 setters and four attackers), but we’d only get to see him on the court for half of the match. That’s why I’d rather see Steve Nash try his luck on the sand. With his discipline, Nash would be able to learn all the different shots to find open space in the court. He won’t need to try and pound on the ball in order to get points. With the right partner, he could really do some damage on tour.

7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Nationality: Sweden
Height: 6’5”
Weight:  lbs
Age: 29
Team: AC Milan

Ideal Position: Setter/Opposite
Style: Indoor

We head back to Europe for #7, gigantic international soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Perennial douchebaggery aside, he stands as one of the most talented and electrifying athletes out there. The Swedish international has been around for so long and played for so many teams it’s getting hard to keep track of where he’ll end up next. Currently, he’s playing for the AC Milan looking to finish first in Serie A and make a deep run into the UEFA Champion’s League.

But don’t take his frequent relocation as a bad indicator of his skills. Sure, he’s had his fair share of troubles fitting into the long term plans of certain clubs (read: FC Barcelona), but Zlatan’s talent as a footballer cannot be denied. Ibrahimovic is one of the best strikers of this generation. It’s his job to score as many goals as he can, but his all-around game is on par with the top tier players. He generates insane power from both feet, his field vision is exceptional, and handles the ball with a rare finesse at his size and all these skills can translate into volleyball.

It would be easy to play Ibra as an attacker because it’s parallel to the role of a striker. But his ideal position has to be at the setter spot. It’s fair to question a footballer’s ability to use his hands for anything other than appealing for a penalty…or flopping. Still, Ibrahimovic is an elite athlete and he’ll pick up on the skills. He possesses all the intangibles that characterize world class players and being a setter is more than being blessed with a good pair of hands. Setters need quick feet, great vision along with the timing and the touch to feed the ball to a teammate from any angle, and pure creativity. Ibra’s physical strength will also be useful when he’s playing in the front row and has to joust at the net.

Zlatan can also contribute as an attacker. As a world class striker with a keen eye for goal, he already has the instincts of a hitter. He knows how to read defense and put an exclamation point on any play. In volleyball, he would be effective from either side of the net. Therefore, it might be best to use him as both a setter and an opposite in a 6-2 rotation. Having played on the biggest stages of European soccer, Ibrahimovic has become immune to sports related pressure. For years he carried the hopes of his home country when he captained the Swedish team. That’s a burden very few athletes have to deal with, and though Ibrahimovic has never won any major international titles, he’s been phenomenal playing as the front man for his team.

In the past, Zlatan has been criticized for his leadership on the pitch, but it’s really his willingness that’s come into question, and not his actual capability. He’s single-handedly been able to will his teams to victory at various points in his career. This leadership is an important responsibility for a setter. It pays off to have a setter that can captain the team’s proverbial ship. Zlatan would be his own biggest obstacle to his ability to lead. If his heart isn’t in it, then his team may be affected by that, but when he brings his “A” game, things could get really exciting.

Zlatan has very few weaknesses as an athlete that could hold him back in terms of what a volleyball player needs to do. Add his athletic prowess, brains, and a decent coach, he will develop the technique and skills to be a great volleyball player.

6. Rafael Nadal (ATP)

Nationality: Spain
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 188 lbs
Age: 25 yrs

Ideal Position: DS, Opposite
Style: Beach

In modern tennis, Roger Federer is generally the first big name that comes to mind (though Novak Djokovic has stolen all the thunder in the last one year). After all, he’s won more Grand Slam titles than any other man with 16 majors and he is considered by experts to be the greatest of all time. Yet in the midst of all of this, one man has consistently made life on the tour miserable for Federer, and his name is Rafael Nadal.  Nadal has dominated the head to head matchup against Federer, with 7 of those wins coming in the final of a Grand Slam, having most recently defeated him in the Australian Open semi-final last month. In total, he’s won 10 grand slams, an Olympic gold medal, and in a few years, Rafael could very well make his own case for the honor of “greatest player ever”.

While his serving and ground strokes currently rank among the world’s best, Nadal first made a name for himself with his incredible defense. He covers the court with a combination of speed and finesse unlike any other tennis player that we’ve seen. His movement allows him to track down any ball, and he is able to transition from defense to offense with ease. It’s this kind of play that propelled him to the world’s number one ranking in 2008 and yet again in 2010. Nadal defeats his opponents by overpowering them, both physically and mentally. He plays with the ultimate focus to complement his raw athleticism.

We can easily toss Nadal into the back row and as a libero or a D-S. However, Rafa is capable of bringing so more to the game of volleyball. At only 6’1”, it’ll be difficult for him to battle against the towering competition in indoor volleyball which is why Nadal would be best suited for sand. His lack of height will still put him at a significant disadvantage (beach players are giants too), but with only one blocker and more space to work with, he’ll find plenty of ways to score. Roll shots, cut shots, dinks, and wipes, Nadal will have them all. He’ll score from angles that are seemingly impossible, causing opponents to merely shake their heads and smile. Also, Nadal is one of the best players on tour when it comes to adapting to difficult weather conditions. He’ll have no problem adjusting to the tricky winds that often blow through the beach volleyball courts.

Rafa is naturally right handed, but if he chooses to play with his left hand (like he does in tennis), things could get really interesting. To see if he could generate the kind of spin with his jump serve that is similar to what he does on the ATP tour would also be very cool.

Apart from his height, the only potential setback for Nadal is his injury history. Over the course of his tennis career, Nadal has been plagued with various knee injuries that have kept him out of several major tournaments, and before the recent rise of Novak Djokovic, these injuries have pretty much been the only hindrance to his reign over the tennis world. Moving around and diving on the sand will probably be easier on his body than sliding on the hard courts at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but volleyball players are by no means immune to serious knee injuries.

In our universe of crossover athletes, Nadal will find a way to dominate. As a physical and mental maestro, he will make life miserable for his opponents. And even if the rules of volleyball don’t allow him to pull off insane plays like this, expect Rafa to rise to greatness as a volleyball player. Just give him plenty of time to get his serve in play (Nadal is notorious for his slow pace between points), and always make sure that there’s someone to hand him a towel…after every single point.

That’s the end of part 2 of our “Other Athletes” profiles. Be Sure to check back soon for part 3 and the conclusion of this series where we reveal the top five of the list.

Photo by Soletron, LIFE, Presswire, Serie A, AFP

As a volleyball player, it’s always a bit discouraging to walk into a local Foot Locker to find 10 columns of basketball shoes and asking around only to find that they don’t carry any volleyball shoes. But needless to say, every athlete loves a pair of nice shoes and volleyballers are no exception.

Traditionally, there are 2 major brands when it comes to volleyball. ASICS and Mizuno. At both the high school and the college level, both brands are very popular. Everyone I’ve played with seemed to like both brands. Generally, Mizuno seems to be the preferred vendor especially with national teams, including Team USA, that are sponsored by Mizuno.

From a designing perspective, Mizunos seem more narrow than ASICS and more durable due to its leather construction. On the other hand, ASICS are a bit wider to provide better breathability of the shoe for better comfort during performance.But lately there seems to have been a major competitor to the classic Mizunos and the ASICS in volleyball footwear – the Kobe’s. i first noticed the shoe’s usage in volleyball while watching the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Among the bland Mizunos, I saw what seemed to be a Nike logo floating around the court on Priddy’s shoes. At the time, I couldn’t truly digest the possibility of professional volleyball players showing up to court in basketball shoes, especially to a Gold Medal match against Brazil. I waived the thought for a couple weeks and went to the FIVB website for photos of the match. And to my surprise I found my fears were confirmed.

Yes, it's Kobe's!

Lloy Ball: “I wear Kobe 5′s. They’re basketball shoes but I think they are great for volleyball.”
Matt Anderson: “I wear Nike Kobe V’s.”
Reid Priddy: “Hi there! I wear the Nike Kobe shoe. I highly recommend them! Enjoy.”
Evan Patak: “Kobe V. get some!”

Can you say 'swaaaaag'...?

I found out for myself the hype of Kobe V’s. They ARE narrower than most shoes out there, but after breaking them in, they are very comfortable and seem to become a part of your feet. They’re one of the lightest shoes out there and is pretty durable as well. Not to mention it beats the crap out of the Mizunos and the ASICS on the swag factor.

Blahh. That didn't stop him from winning an Olympic Gold.

Often times when I look at the world’s greatest athletes, two things come to mind. The first is something along the lines of, “Holy fireworks, Batman! That guy is a BEAST.” Then, I wonder how their skills could be used in another sport. Guys like Bo Jackson (NFL/MLB), Deion Sanders (NFL, MLB), and Michael Jordan (NBA, Minor League Baseball) made this hypothetical a reality by crossing over into a second sport at the pro level. And recently, we got to see Kevin Love trying out beach volleyball. And even though his team was easily defeated at Manhattan Beach, Love was far from terrible.

That got me thinking about this article. What if we could take 15 current athletes and turn them into full time volleyballers? How would they stack up against each other? What positions would they play? And would they be best suited for indoors or beach? So I picked my top 15, analyzed their respective skill sets, and ranked them in order of who I felt would make the most exciting volleyball player.

Keep in mind that the order of these rankings is completely subjective, so take them with as many grains of salt as you can find. In total, it’s a 3 part series with 5 athletes covered on each article. So without further ado, here’s part 1 of 3.

Photo by AP

Photo by Rebecca Naden/PA

Peter Crouch is an English striker in the most competitive English Premier League (EPL). Within the past decade, Crouch has bounced around the league playing on several teams. He’s been a contributing member of the English National Team for several years and currently plays for Stoke City.Some of Crouch’s best moments came during Tottenham’s glorious run to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals last year. Through Crouch’s leadership, the club shocked the world before coming up short against Real Madrid. Crouch hasn’t played any matches this season due to injury, but when he does, he’ll go back to being the goal scoring threat the EPL has come to know.

With his frame, Crouch will be best as a middle blocker. Obviously, he isn’t going to stand out the same way he does on the football pitch. A 6’7” middle isn’t anything to celebrate, but that doesn’t mean Crouch can’t be successful. His ability to make plays in the air and score with his head is extremely useful. When going for a header, you process a lot of information in a minuscule amount of time. Not only do you redirect the ball’s angle, but you also have to be aware of the defenders’ and goalkeeper’s positions and avoid getting your shot blocked. Thus, Crouch should do a good job analyzing the defense when getting set in the middle. With his quick thinking and movement, he’ll rack up a bunch of kills. He might be a defensive liability though at 156 lbs. He’s likely to be overpowered by opposing middles if the set’s off, or in a joust unless he bulks up a little more.

 

Photo by NBA

Serge Ibaka is a rising talent in the NBA, with the potential to become an all-star PF for the Thunders. He was born and raised in Congo but was recently nationalized by Spain (where he played pro-basketball for a couple years before the NBA) so he could play in the European Championships. Ibaka is an extremely athletic and led the entire league in blocks per game last season. The dude is a highlight reel just waiting to happen. Ibaka is also a workhorse in improving his game.

To say that Ibaka was a liability on offense when first coming to OKC would be a compliment. In the past 2 seasons, he’s developed the proper fundamentals to complement his incredible physique. He’s still fairly limited offensively (not much post game, almost no passing or ball-handling skills), but compared to 3 years ago, the difference is night and day. Ibaka’s mid-range shot has vastly improved to a point where opponents think twice before leaving him open. For sure, he’s got the drive to constantly become a better player and is very coachable.

Assuming Ibaka’s development in volleyball follows his basketball development, ball control and passing are things that won’t come easy (he’s never had the delicate touch needed in volleyball) so you won’t play him as a setter or an outside. And with his size and vertical, he can’t get stuck in the back row. Ibaka is best as a middle blocker or an opposite, depending on what his team needs. He’s fast enough to be up in the air for quick sets and once he learns to snap, he’ll put everything away. His hits would be hard enough to pick up plenty of points by tooling off the block or going high off the top. His size and strength will be useful when it’s his turn to block, and if his timing on alley-oops can translate into blocking timing, he’d really make opposing attackers think twice before bombing away at the ball.

Ibaka would do much better with indoor than beach, only because I’m not convinced he’d make a great passer. Of course, he’s still very young, and with the way he works on his game, a transition to the beach later on wouldn’t be all that surprising.

 

Photo by NFL

Our next athlete is one many fantasy football owners have been drooling over for quite some time now – none other than wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has been in the NFL since 2004 with the Arizona Cardinals. He recently signed a new 8-year contract worth around $120 million. So it doesn’t look like the Cardinals are interested in getting rid of him anytime soon. He is a proven, bona-fide star in the NFL. What separates Fitzgerald from other WR’s is his ability to get up in the air and make ridiculous catches over the nearest defender(s). It’s really spectacular to watch, especially the aerial clinic that he put on during the 2nd-half of the Superbowl 3 seasons ago.

I considered listing Fitzgerald as a middle blocker, but then I glanced at his height again. The last time I can remember seeing a 6’3″ middle was in high school, so putting him there would be unfair. No matter how high he can get up, he won’t do any significant damage as a middle.An alternative would be to use him as a defensive specialist. Just because he can get up doesn’t mean that it’s the only thing he can do well on the volleyball court. He’s got blazing speed and  the coordination to handle any ball. It won’t matter if he played right or left. Cool thing about DS is that he’d still have a chance to attack, and if he’s gifted an open net, opposing defense should protect their women and children. Downside to DS would be that we’d only see Fitzgerald for half the match. If he’s good, he can be a libero but he’d sacrifice attacking out of the back row.

Another alternative would be a setter. NFL wide receivers have really good hands that catch bullets while on the run and protect the ball while getting more yardage. And Fitzgerald is there with the best of them. Setters must have good hands to react to passes and feed the ball to attackers without double contacts. I’m not saying wide receivers and setters do the exact same things with their hands (you’ll never see a receiver jump and back-set the ball in a play). But I’d argue that Fitzgerald’s soft hands will give him an advantage over average athletes as a setter.

There are plenty of options for Fitzgerald. It’d really come down to what he can do best and also what his team would need from him the most.

 

Photo by JustJared

Next in our list is the fastest man alive, and appropriately named, Usain Bolt. We only see him perform every couple years making headlines at the Olympics or World Championships but when we do, Bolt certainly makes those moments count.

Watching him run the 100m is quite possibly the most electrifying 10 seconds in all of sports. The 100m sprint is athleticism at its rawest and purest form, and in its history, no one has done it better than Usain Bolt. And the craziest thing is that we haven’t seen him give his best effort. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bolt clearly slowed down near the finish, and still set a world record (9.69). He set a new world record a year later at the World Championships with a 9.58, but even there, you got the feeling that he was capable of giving more. It’s what makes him one of the most intriguing athletes of our generation.

There are theories as to why Bolt hasn’t ran his hardest, but that’s not what we’re here to explain so let’s keep moving.Bolt’d make a solid outside hitter. He has the right build and quickness to get up and convert on quick “shoots” on the outside. On defense, he’d put up a strong block and is flexible enough to stay low without losing agility. He’d be the first to track down a shanked pass or cover hitters. He won’t dominate the sport the way that he’s dominated sprinting, but once he masters the techniques, he’ll be darn good.

And the best part of it would be seeing Bolt strike his legendary “lightning bolt” pose after a clutch kill or a monster block. Opponents may get annoyed, but fans’d go wild, so long as he doesn’t overdo the celebrations.Crossing over to another sport is a concept that Bolt’s actually familiar with. He’s discussed his desire to play European football in the EPL after he retires from racing. He thinks he’s good enough to play for Man U, but it’ll be more than a few years before we find out if that’s true. Perhaps we can convince him to give volleyball a crack if his EPL tryout fails to impress.