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Pete Carroll Comments on Nate Robinson's Workout with Seahawks, NFL Future
June 15, 2016
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was complimentary of Nate Robinson after the former NBA guard worked out for his team, but he didn’t seem ready to offer a contract on the spot Tuesday, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com.
"I think it's all but impossible. It's as hard as you could possibly get,” Carroll said. “He's 32 as well. I don't know if anybody could do it. But if anybody could, it might be Nate. He's that versatile an athlete and that great a competitor."
Kapadia noted the 5’9” Robinson’s workout with the Seahawks was private. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network did say Seattle would keep in touch even as he expressed doubt the team will eventually sign the Seattle native.
Carroll did praise some of Robinson’s overall skills, per Kapadia: “He looked really quick, caught the ball really well. He’s an amazing athlete.”
Robinson, who played basketball in Israel this year, being called an amazing athlete comes as no surprise. While he only played two games for the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2015-16 campaign, it marked his 11th season in the NBA.
He laced it up for the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers before the Pelicans and showed off that athleticism by winning three different Slam Dunk Contests despite his short stature (2006, 2009 and 2010, all as a member of the Knicks). He also averaged 11 points per game in his NBA career.
Robinson does have high-level football experience on his resume, although it came 14 years ago. He attended the University of Washington for football before he turned his attention fully to the hardwood.
According to Sports-Reference.com, Robinson appeared in 13 games for the 2002 Huskies and notched two interceptions that season, which was tied for second on the team. He also amassed 103 kick-return yards on six attempts and helped the Huskies finish 7-6 and reach the Sun Bowl, where they lost to the Purdue Boilermakers.
Carroll offered some summarizing words regarding Robinson and seemed to at least keep various options open for the Washington product, per Kapadia:
He's got a lot of work to do. He's getting ready for whatever comes next and hoops as well. He's trying to figure out what he's going to do -- whether he's going to be in the NBA or overseas playing or whatever. And so football's an option that he wants to investigate. He's a great kid. I've known him for a long time, way back when, and always loved the kid. Excited to give him a chance to see where this all fits together for him.
By the tone of Carroll’s comments, it doesn’t sound like a starting role on the Seahawks is what will come next for the 32-year-old Robinson, even if he did impress the coach with his athleticism.