By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, March 22, 2025
Photo credit: Nick Kyrgios Facebook
March Madness transcends the confines of college arenas.
Hard Rock Stadium, the vibrant home of the Miami Open and the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, is a bustling hub for athletes. Here, players not only engage in tennis but also kick soccer balls, toss footballs for warm-ups, and indulge their passion for basketball.
Following his recent triumph at the Miami Open against qualifier Jacob Fearnley, Alexander Zverev was put on the spot by Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj to declare his picks for the Top 5 basketball players on the ATP Tour.
With a friendship forged with NBA superstar Jimmy Butler and a childhood spent honing his basketball skills at Saddlebrook in Florida, Zverev confidently named the ATP’s leading baller.
Holding that esteemed title is none other than Nick Kyrgios, whom Zverev noted practically spent as much time on the basketball court as he did on the tennis court in his younger days.
In his lineup, Olympic gold medalist Zverev included Nick Kyrgios, Reilly Opelka, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Christopher Eubanks (also called Big Banks), and humbly placed himself at No. 5 on this illustrious basketball squad.
Kyrgios candidly expresses the challenges of being a die-hard Celtics fan.
In a touching piece featured on The Players’ Tribune titled “Why I Bleed Green,” Kyrgios shares the journey of how a kid from Australia became an ardent supporter of the Boston Celtics.
Kyrgios fondly recalls those all-nighters spent watching Celtics games during tournament stops in Portugal and China, declaring that the trade that brought his idol, Kevin Garnett, to Boston was one of the happiest moments of his life.
“The mega trade in 2008 that brought in both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen? That was an absolute highlight! Garnett is like my spirit animal; he’s my ultimate favorite player,” Kyrgios reminisces. “You want him on your team, but facing him? That’s a whole different ball game. His intensity is unmatched!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vahs3InhAC0" title="Kyrgios Highlights
While we wholeheartedly acknowledge Zverev’s pick of Kyrgios as the ATP’s top baller, we must advocate for Gael Monfils as a formidable contender in any ATP basketball lineup.
The electrifying Monfils, known as “Sliderman” on the tennis court, truly becomes a Skywalker when he steps onto the basketball court.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TypQP75Pos" title="Monfils Basketball Skills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wobSM_o8XHU" title="Monfils vs Kyrgios One-On-One
Fans might recall the thrilling one-on-one showdown between Kyrgios and Monfils, showcasing their incredible skills on the court.
The world of tennis and basketball has an intriguing connection.
Hall of Famer Billie Jean King initially played basketball before transitioning to tennis. Former NBA player John Lucas impressively competed in both professional basketball and tennis, representing in WTT matches.
Notably, former Boston Celtics star Gordon Hayward was a two-time all-state tennis player prior to committing to basketball. Additionally, icons like Hall of Famer John McEnroe and his fellow Hall of Famer Pete Sampras showcased their talents in both sports – McEnroe as a school basketball point guard and Sampras possessing the ability to slam dunk alongside his legendary serves and smashes in tennis history.
