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While they did go on to play in the NBA, there are countless players who could have been stars in the MLB as well. Since their seasons take place a different times, a lot of basketball players also played baseball during their younger years.
When it comes to the NBA and MLB connection, most people jump right to Michael Jordan. In the middle of his prime, the Chicago Bulls icon tested his luck on the baseball diamond, but was never able to make it to the majors. Jordan quickly turned his cleats and returned to the hardwood.
Jordan's baseball adventure might not have panned out, but there are a handful of players who legitimately could've made it far if they stuck with the sport.
NBA players who could have played in the MLB
1) Danny Ainge
Starting off this list is someone who has actually played in both the NBA and MLB. Before becoming a basketball lifer, Danny Ainge played professional baseball for three seasons.
Ainge was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977, and made his debut in 1979. In a career that spanned 211 games, he hit .220 with two home runs and 37 runs batted in. When the Boston Celtics drafted in him 1981, Ainge decided to make the jump to basketball and never looked back.
2) Pat Connaughton
After being a star pitcher in college, Milwaukee Bucks forward Pat Connaughton had the potential to be a two-sport athlete. He was drafted into the MLB not once but twice.
Connaughton spent one season in the minor leagues with the Baltimore Orioles organization. He finished the year with a record of 0-1 and an ERA of 2.45. The Brooklyn Nets went on to select him in the NBA draft in 2015, putting his baseball career to an end.
3) Donovan Mitchell
Before cementing himself as one of the top guards in the league today, Donovan Mitchell was at a crossroads in his younger years. Playing both baseball and basketball growing up, he had to make a choice when it came time to pick a college.
As everyone knows, Mitchell ended up going on to play college basketball at Louisville. From there he went on to get drafted and eventually land with the Utah Jazz, where he blossomed into a superstar-level talent.
4) Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady was one of the top NBA stars in the 2000's, but that almost didn't happen. In fact, basketball wasn't even his first sport growing up. He primarily played baseball, but made the switch when he transferred to a school that didn't have a program.
McGrady tried to revive his baseball career after retiring from basketball in 2012. At the age of 35, he pitched in an Independent league where he had a record of 0-2 and an ERA of 6.75.
5) Charlie Ward
Charlie Ward spent a decade with the New York Knicks from 1994 to 2004, but had multiple options when it came to sports. Before being drafted into the NBA, he was a Heisman Trophy winner in college.
Ward was such a gifted athlete that he could have had a career in baseball as well. He's been drafted by an MLB team twice despite not even playing the sport in college.
