5 Philadelphia Eagles players who have played basketball featuring Nick Foles, Devonta Smith and more

The Philadelphia Eagles have had many amazing athletes throughout their history. Despite playing football, some Eagles have also tried their hand at basketball.

Excelling in both sports is incredibly difficult and not many players have been able to achieve a lot of success in both the NFL and the NBA. In fact, there have only been two players who have played in both leagues.

Otto Graham (Rochester Royals in 1945-46 and Cleveland Browns from 1946-55) and Bud Grant (Minneapolis Lakers from 1949-51 and Philadelphia Eagles (1951-52). Grant, a Pro Football Hall of Fame coach for the Minnesota Vikings, is the NBA's oldest living champion. Grant, 95, played for the Lakers' 1950 title team.

This article will reveal five Philadelphia Eagles players who have played basketball. We will take a look at their basketball and football careers, as well as check out some of their biggest achievements.

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Nick Foles had two tenures with Philadelphia Eagles, but was also great at basketball

Nick Foles was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012 and played for the team for three years. Foles also played for the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs before returning to the East Coast.

Foles, who replaced the injured Carson Wentz during the regular season, was the MVP of Super Bowl LII in 2018, leading the Eagles past the New England Patriots 41-33.

Foles was amazing in both football and basketball (Image via Getty Images)

You may be interested in reading: Did Nick Foles ever play in the Super Bowl? Rough Colts debut hasn't tarnished the reputation of former Eagles QB

Before he entered the professional football league, the quarterback also played basketball. He played the sport for three years, winning team MVP honors twice at Westlake High in Austin, Texas. Foles was recruited by Texas, Baylor, and Georgetown.

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DeVonta Smith played basketball before entering the NFL

DeVonta Smith was the 10th pick in the 2021 NFL draft and he's still with the Eagles. The 6-foot wide receiver has shown a lot of potential and is one of the team's brightest stars.

Smith was drafted by the Eagles in 2021 (Image via Getty Images)

While Smith is very talented at football, he also knows how to play basketball. The Eagles wide receiver attended Amite High Magnet School in Amite City, Louisiana, where he played both sports.

Smith won the 2020 Heisman Trophy and two national championships at Alabama.

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Connor Barwin tried his hand at college basketball

The Philadelphia Eagles signed Connor Barwin to a six-year contract back in 2013. The linebacker was eventually released by the team in 2017 and he retired in 2019. Barwin is now the Director of Player Development for the Eagles.

Even after retiring, Barwin is still with the Eagles (Image via Getty Images)

Besides football, Barwin also played basketball in high school, earning all-state honors as a senior at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School. He was also a backup forward for the Cincinnati Bearcats in college, averaging 1.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

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Donovan McNabb is another Eagles player who played college basketball

Donovan McNabb spent 13 years playing in the NFL and his longest tenure was with the Philadelphia Eagles. Thanks to his amazing career, he entered the Eagles Hall of Fame and the team retired his number.

McNabb spent the majority of his career with the Eagles (Image via Getty Images)

In high school, McNabb played basketball with Antoine Walker, who'd later play in the NBA. He was also a walk-on for the Syracuse basketball team. In his second season with the Orange, McNabb averaged 2.8 points per game.

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Terrell Owens played in the NCAA tournament

Terrell Owens' fantastic football career began in 1996 in San Francisco. The wide receiver joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 and played two seasons for the team. While he was a Hall of Fame football player, Owens was also great at basketball.

Owens played in the 1995 NCAA tournament (Image via Getty Images)

You may be interested in reading: Is Terrell Owens coming back to the NFL? 49-year-old retired WR preparing for shock comeback

Owens began playing basketball in high school and also played for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, participating in the 1995 NCAA Tournament. The football star also had a chance to play in the NBA Summer League, but the Eagles did not give him permission for it.