Talking Points: NBA players who would star in other sports

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Kevin Durant mixed himself into an intramural flag football game Monday night at Oklahoma State, dominating in a capacity you would expect from a 6-foot-10 NBA superstar. Which raises the question: What other NBA players would dominate in sport for which they are not being paid. A quick list.

LeBron James, football: He’s faster than Randy Moss ever was, taller than Moss, too, and bigger than just about any wide receiver to ever play the game. Is there really a diminutive cornerback or safety alive who could stop him on an out route?

Dwight Howard, beach volleyball: He is 7 feet tall, a slam-dunk champion, and possibly the most coordinated big man in the league. He’d be in an Olympic favorite with Stan Van Gundy as his partner.

Ron Artest, poker: Granted, he might think All Reds beats a Straight Flush, but there is no way anybody could tell what he’s thinking.

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An excerpt from Shaquille O’Neal’s new book “Shaq Uncut: My Untold Story,” the Big Diesel details his infamous feud with Kobe Bryant, saying that he was steamed that Kobe unloaded on Shaq in an interview with Jim Gray, prompting O’Neal to warn Bryant that if he did something like that again, “I’ll kill you.”

There is no doubt that Shaq probably could accomplish this feat seeing how he is the largest form of mass in the history of existence, but it also demonstrates just how sensitive O’Neal is. As philanthropic as Shaq is known to be, and as good as he is around children, this also is a man willing to burn bridges with anybody he feel even moderately disrespects him. Tall man. Short fuse.