Elite NBA Athletes Who'd Dominate 'Dancing with the Stars'

ABC's Dancing with the Stars recently kicked off its 16th season, which gave us an idea. Why not have the men's side of the field be composed entirely of NBA players?

Based on the show's format, six players with superior athletic credentials were selected. The way contestants were chosen was based on your prototypical NBA lineup.

Therefore, we have two guards, two forwards and a center and a sixth man, and trust me when I tell you, they're all worthy competitors.

Note: Current injuries were not taken into account for the purposes of this slideshow. Only overall bodies of work were considered.

Russell Westbrook

With nimble feet and brilliant agility, how could Russell Westbrook not be considered a front-runner?

Westbrook is far and away the league's best athlete at point guard. He uses his elite speed and change of direction to blow by opponents in transition or in the half court.

The Oklahoma City point guard has also displayed fantastic leaping ability, which could always come in handy when trying to impress the judges. 

Here's a question to ponder. Which would be more compelling TV: Russell Westbrook competing in the All-Star weekend's Slam Dunk Contest (which he's previously shown interest in) or Dancing with the Stars?

Kobe Bryant

There's one quality that separates Kobe Bryant from this prospective field. Even the most casual observers of Bryant are aware that his footwork is impeccable, and you can view the evidence above.

In addition to some pretty footwork, Kobe's drive to win is an important characteristic to consider when evaluating favorites.

Kobe's fueled by his desire to capture victory, no matter what the arena may be, which is one of the reason's he's been compared to Michael Jordan throughout his career.

With Kobe primed to retire (via CBS Sports) after the 2013-14 season, perhaps a future filled with other competitive endeavors awaits the five-time champion.

LeBron James

How could LeBron James not be included in an all-NBA Dancing with the Stars field? We've never seen an athlete like him grace the hardwood before. His raw combination of strength and speed is positively jaw-dropping when seen in real-time.

At 6'8" and 250 pounds, you have to figure LeBron would be an ideal dancing partner.

In fact, we saw James bust out a variety of moves back in his Cleveland days (seen above), so there's no denying that the league's reigning MVP isn't phased by breaking it down in front of a crowd.

Carmelo Anthony

I previously mentioned Kobe Bryant's footwork as a big reason for his likely success on Dancing with the Stars.

If that logic applies to Kobe, then it definitely applies to Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony has put a deceptively quick first step to work this year as he's blown by defenders on many occasions down on the baseline.

Perhaps the most noticeable improvement in Anthony's game has been his footwork in the post, where he's used a combination of strength and size to work himself into optimal position down on the blocks.

Although Anthony isn't generally discussed among the game's greatest athletes, there's no denying that his quality basketball attributes would translate well to the dance floor.

JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee busting out dance moves in front of an audience of millions on a weekly basis. This is a thing that needs to happen. Soon.

McGee is widely considered one of the league's best athletes, with his massive 7'6'' wingspan giving him a length advantage over all frontcourt challengers.

McGee's celebrated for his wacky antics just as much as he is for his striking athletic displays, so there's no denying that the Nuggets center is entertainment worth paying for.

A fan favorite, McGee would raise as many eyebrows on the dance floor as he has on the basketball court.

Blake Griffin

Since Blake Griffin's no stranger to awesome 90s music (yes, you heard me, it's awesome) and leaping insane distances, perhaps he could combine the two to stun the all-NBA Dancing with the Stars field.

For one, I would not be opposed to a few Blake pirouettes set to the melody of "U Can't Touch This", but that's just me. If he could incorporate the parachute pants, well, let's just say we'd have a winner on our hands.

Arguably the most fun-loving nominee here, Griffin would pull out all of the creative stops in order to capture a DWTS title.