No two other American sports positions (point guard in the NBA, quarterback in the NFL) require making sure everyone is in place and that their recipients are happy, so why not compare the two to each other? Let's take a look at who is equivalent to whom in these two sports.
Michael Vick and Derrick Rose
Both may be injured all the time and prone to tons of turnovers, but when they're healthy and feeling it, who is funner to watch than these two?
If they aren't the fastest at their positions, then they are pretty close. Physical abilities like Vick's arm strength and velocity or Rose's leaping ability and strength are unmatched at their position.
They both even peaked in the same year, with Vick going from backup quarterback to MVP runner-up when most thought he could not QB anymore. Then there is Rose winning the MVP award in 2011 after asking why he could not become one.
Colin Kaepernick and Russell Westbrook
Both are more durable versions of the previous mentioned duo. Both are given the majority of the blame when their teams come up short. Both are criticized for calling their own numbers instead of passing. Both have a swagger to them that rubs many the wrong way.
Most mobile quarterbacks seem to either be made of glass like Robert Griffin III or relatively small in stature such as Vick. Kaepernick might be the most physically talented quarterback I have ever seen. A durable QB with a cannon arm and the ability to crank out 50-yard gains may not be conventional, but it sure can be productive and exciting.
Westbrook drives basketball purists crazy with his score-first mentality although he is consistently near the top at assists on a per-minute basis. Too often, basketball fans choose much inferior point guards over him due to their "control," but he plays his role perfectly. Sure there are times he should have passed but his combination of size,skill, athleticism, and durability are unmatched by any point guard currently.
Tom Brady and Tony Parker
Their playoff success is often unappreciated due to their supporting casts, but three rings, multiple All-Star appearances and championship MVPs are nothing to sniff at.
Neither ranks at the top of the list of most exciting players at their position, but they are both top 5 at their spots and have the trust of two of the biggest disciplinarians in the sport. They're both relatively loathed from playing on winning teams and for infidelity, but you and I would both sign them up for our teams in a heartbeat.
Peyton Manning and Chris Paul
At a position where smarts and execution are needed for team success, these two are considered the cream of the crop when it comes to execution.
They are also routinely criticized for their lack of playoff success (though, Manning has a ring) and the Super Bowl and Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals saw them both implode on the big scale.
Apologists like to remind everyone that it is a team game and they should not be blamed for the team's failures while critics wonder that if they are the best at their position, why do they always get a pass for underachieving in the postseason?
Russell Wilson and Mike Conley
Whenever the list of top players at their position is made these two frequently get left off due to having great defenses, not having the flashiest stats, being in areas that don't receive much attention despite their success and for not being outspoken guys.
When you think of the Seattle Seahawks, you may think of Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas before Wilson due to being All-Pro players. Along with that, the Grizzlies are thought more as a ground and pound team, so Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Marc Gasol are usually thought of first.
But these two players are great complementary players to their respective teams. Before Wilson arrived, the Seahawks had not made the playoffs since 2007 and the Grizzlies have been a Western contender since 2010, despite injuries to Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph and the departures of Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo, due in part to Conley's patience, passing ability and defense.
Robert Griffin III and Kyrie Irving
Coming into this season, both of these players were expected to take the next step into becoming superstars and make noise in their conferences.
Griffin was coming off of a Rookie of the Year season in which he led the Washington Redskins to their first playoff bid since 2007, while Irving had also won Rookie of the Year in 2012 and stole the show at All-Star Weekend with his handles and shooting ability.
Whether you believe they are overrated or simply had subpar seasons, both had very disappointing seasons that resulted in the firing of their head coaches.
Their fans love the flashiness of their games—whether it's the mobility and arm strength of RG3 or the handles and scoring ability of Irving—while detractors point to RG3's decision making and durability and the defense and leadership of Irving.
This upcoming fall may be make or break for the two ballers.
Jay Cutler and Deron Williams
All the talent in the world and relatively little to show for it. When you hold their careers next to each other, they seemed to have achieved very similar things at almost the exact same time.
Both peaked in their second year as permanent starter with Williams leading the Utah Jazz to the 2007 Western Conference Finals, and Cutler throwing for over 4,500 yards and making the 2008 Pro Bowl. Both became hated in 2011 with Williams being linked to Jerry Sloan quitting and getting traded to the Nets, and Cutler getting hurt in the 2011 NFC Championship game and not going back in.
For all the size and talent these two have, these two have seemed to have underachieved, but we forget what they have done. Cutler almost took the Bears to the Super Bowl with Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett as his go-to-guys. Williams made the Jazz a contender in the rugged West with Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, and Ronnie Brewer playing big roles at the time.
They may never achieve what we expected from them but they have made other players look much better than they are.
What are some other NBA point guard to NFL quarterback comparisons that come to your mind?
