Getty Josh Jacobs with Darren Waller.
Throughout his entire life, Darren Waller likely hasn’t been put in a lot of situations where he looks like a small human being. The 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders is one of the most towering players in the NFL and frequently makes his teammates look tiny in comparison. However, if you put him on an NBA court, he’d look pretty average.
Waller recently joined Klutch Sports as a client when means he shares an agent with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. During this season’s Super Bowl matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals, Klutch Sports brought a number of clients to the game. This gave Waller and LeBron the chance to speak at the game. In a picture, the Lakers star made the tight end look small in comparison.
‘Bron bigger than Raiders TE Darren Waller. and King is basically a PG.
Due to his style of play, it’s easy to forget that LeBron is 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds. Waller’s got the weight advantage on the NBA superstar but it’s obvious who has the height advantage between the two.
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Waller Is Probably LeBron’s Best NFL Comp
In the past, there’s been speculation about how LeBron would’ve faired in the NFL had he chosen to pursue football instead of basketball. He played a bit of football in high school and was named an All-Ohio wide receiver twice. Due to his size, he almost certainly would’ve been a tight end in the NFL. In fact, he almost briefly left the NBA to play in the NFL during the 2011 lockout when he was offered tryouts with the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks.
“I would have made the team,” LeBron told The Athletic last year. “I would have tried out, but I would have made the team. One thing about it, I don’t mind working for something, so if I would have had to try out for the Cowboys or the Seahawks, or if I’d have stayed home and went back home to Cleveland, I’d have tried (out), but I would have made the team. I just know what I’m capable of doing on the football field. Especially at that age.”
Waller is an interesting comp for LeBron as a possible NFL player. Both are tall and big but have otherworldly speed for people of their size. We’ll never see LeBron in the NBA but Waller gives us a good idea of what he would’ve looked like.
Wall Could Be Looking for New Contract Soon
Speaking of Waller, his decision to join Klutch Sports last year is a big deal. The agency is expanding to the NFL and he’s one of their biggest names. Prior to joining the agency, Waller signed a four-year contract with an average of $7.45 million a year. He doesn’t even crack the top-10 highest-paid tight ends with that contact. In fact, Atlanta Falcons rookie Kyle Pitts made more money than him last season.
Former general manager Mike Mayock was very smart for signing Waller early but he’s going to want to get paid now. Despite having an injury-plagued 2021, he’s going to want to be one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL. George Kittle and Travis Kelce both make over $14 million a season. Expect Waller to look for something in that range in the near future.
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