NBA veteran Larry Nance Jr. opened up about his true passion, and it’s not basketball. Despite a solid career spanning multiple teams and nearly a decade in the league, Nance revealed that if given the chance, he’d trade his basketball talents for a career in soccer “in a heartbeat.”
“I’m good at basketball, that’s the reason I play it,” Nance said on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective. “But my true passion is really soccer. If I could take my talent in basketball and put it in another sport, I’d give it up for soccer in a heartbeat”.
Nance’s love for soccer isn’t a recent development, it’s rooted in his childhood. Before basketball entered the picture, he spent the first 14–15 years of his life immersed in soccer. He played the sport passionately until his size made it difficult to continue outside of the goalkeeper position.
“It was actually basketball that was late in my life,” he explained. “I played soccer from the moment I could. My friends played, so as a kid, that’s what I wanted to do”.
Nance’s passion for soccer has even shaped his off-court ventures. He holds a minority stake in Leeds United, a Premier League club that recently earned promotion back to England’s top flight. Alongside fellow NBA player T.J. McConnell, Nance has been actively involved in the club’s journey, celebrating their success with genuine emotional investment.
Unlike other athletes who invest in soccer for branding or diversification, Nance’s involvement is deeply personal.
“For me, it was all about following my true passion,” he said, emphasizing that his connection to the sport goes far beyond business.
Drafted 27th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015, Nance has played for the Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Hawks, and now again with Cleveland. Known for his athleticism, defensive versatility, and high basketball IQ, he’s carved out a respectable NBA career. But as he’s made clear, basketball was never the dream, it was the path that fit his physical gifts.
