Dabo Swinney is comparing Clemson football stars to NBA legends again, this time with Trevor Lawrence.
When Dabo Swinney told us passing on Deshaun Watson would be like passing on Michael Jordan, he was not wrong and the Chicago Bears look like the Portland Trail Blazers. A few years since that unforgettable quote, he has likened another Clemson football quarterback in Trevor Lawrence to another NBA star.
During Lawrence’s pro day ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Clemson head coach compared watching him throw the football to Stephen Curry shooting a basketball. The Golden State Warriors point guard is widely considered to be the greatest pure shooter in NBA history. It is a lofty comparison but this is the type of arm talent Lawrence has coming out of Clemson.
“It’s a beautiful thing to watch. It’s like watching Steph Curry shoot a basketball, right. It’s just fun to watch,” said Swinney to ESPN during Lawrence’s pro day. Depending on who you ask, Lawrence is either the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck (2012), Peyton Manning (1998) or even John Elway (1983). This is why he is almost certainly going to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 1.
Trevor Lawrence is not the only quarterback Stephen Curry has been compared to
While this comparison of Lawrence to Curry is fresh on our minds, the one between Patrick Mahomes and the Golden State point guard has been around for years. The Curry-Mahomes comparison is more along the lines of their fun and creative playing style, as well as their likable personalities. As for the Lawrence-Curry comparison, yes, there may be some truth to that.
From Swinney’s vantage point, it is all about the aesthetic. If he wanted to go with another cross-sports reference, he may equate Lawrence’s throwing motion to Ken Griffey Jr.’s sweet swing from the left side of the plate. Again, Lawrence is only 21-years-old and has plenty of time to refine his already strong throwing mechanics. Swinney has had three years to see him sling it up close.
We cannot wait for Swinney to compare D.J. Uiagalelei to another NBA superstar in two years.
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