Sweet science meets sweet spot: A former floor general turned underdog with knuckles wrapped instead of ankles taped will face Sam Khativ on May 29, a matchup as audacious as a no-look assist in the final seconds. If basketball honed his poise under playoff pressure, the square circle will demand he punch above his past and channel the ruthless focus that once defined his clutch-time pedigree. Come fight night, one question looms: can he rewrite his legacy with leather and sweat rather than leather and nets?
Do you remember the 2014 NBA Rookie of the Year? The No. 11 draft pick averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 assists in his first year with the Philadelphia 76ers, ultimately winning the ROTY honor. Michael Carter-Williams was named the Player of the Week in his first week in the league. Before him, the Los Angeles Lakers legend, Shaquille O’Neal, was the only player to achieve this feat. This isn’t the only thing Carter-Williams shares with O’Neal. He also shares the 4x NBA champion’s love for combat sports.
Taking NBA fans by surprise, Michael Carter-Williams has announced that he will try his hand at boxing. Williams’ regular attendance at UFC events, combined with his MMA and boxing training, says much about his love of sport. As per the latest update from Combat Buzz, he has already been training with professional boxer Nate Diaz and retired Brazilian martial artist Royce Gracie. The 33-year-old has been preparing for his amateur debut at the Broad Street Brawl organised by Uprising Promotions.
An important feature of this event is that the proceeds will benefit a New York-based nonprofit organization, Bigvision Community, which offers peer resources and programs to help recovering young people from addiction.
After nine NBA seasons, Carter-Williams’ final stop was for the Mexico City Capitanes in the G League before hanging up his jersey in 2024. The former Magic star says he’s content with nine seasons in the NBA but craves a new challenge.
“Michael Carter-Williams is very proud, athletic, and I think he can be successful as an amateur boxer. If he turns professional, that’s another story. You have to be a world-class athlete to succeed in the NBA, and if he has that same dedication to boxing, along with his natural athletic ability, he has the potential to succeed,” Boxing promoter Ronson Frank said.
Carter-Williams is not the first baller to venture into other arenas such as combat sports. Shaquille O’Neal participated in a five-round sparring match with Oscar De La Hoya and an exhibition boxing match with Shane Mosley. But another former NBA player dipped his feet into combat, but combat that’s scripted.
Dennis Rodman’s stint with the WCW
The Chicago Bulls legend is quite passionate when it comes to his hobbies, which include pro wrestling. Known as ‘Rodzilla’ in this world, Rodman had quite a few successful stints in WCW. One such example is the Bulls legend teaming up with Hulk Hogan to battle against Diamond Dallas Page and Karl Malone in 1998. Interestingly, Rodman and Malone battled against each other in the 1998 NBA Finals as well. That added to the tension. Rodman and the Bulls won the NBA championship, and Worm and Hogan claimed a win inside the ring, too.
Rodman made his debut teaming up with Hulk Hogan at the Bash at the Beach event in July 1997. In fact, Hogan is the reason why the 5x NBA champ joined WCW in 1996 as a member of the nWo. He had already received a $1 million offer from WWE, but that didn’t include Hogan. He reportedly signed a $1.6 million deal with WCW.
Professional Wrestling booker, Eric Bischoff said, “I got a hold of Dwight Manley, who was Dennis’s agent at the time, and had a great conversation with Dwight. Got right to the point and, for the most part, did the deal over the phone in the lobby of the airport Marriott at Atlanta, Georgia. It was a very easy deal to do.” He had a great career in WWE, even if it was a brief stint.
Getting back to Carter-Williams, his jump into boxing is a calculated pursuit backed by world-class mentors and a champion’s mindset. Should he carry his NBA work ethic into the ring, he might well surprise the amateur ranks. And if he does turn pro, remember: an elite athlete’s greatest advantage isn’t height or wingspan—it’s the relentless drive to keep evolving.
The post Leaving NBA for Boxing Debut, Shaquille O’Neal’s Successor & Ex-ROTY Trains With Nate Diaz appeared first on EssentiallySports.
