Caleb Harris
Former wide receiver Devin Funchess made sports history by becoming the first NFL player to join a professional basketball contact. The 29-year-old player signed a contract with the Caribbean Storm Llaneros, from the Colombian Professional Basketball League.
Funchess went on a lifelong journey to fulfill three promises he made to his grandfather, James Hester, when he was younger. Funchess told his grandfather he would get a Super Bowlplay professional basketball and then become a farmer.
Although he never won the Lombardi Trophy, he came close and played in the big game with the Carolina Panthers, with whom he played most of his career.
“Going through this process, [to the Super Bowl]It shaped my work ethic, my discipline, my understanding of what a brick wall is, how much fatigue is and how, the routine and the regimen, that you have to maintain,” he said.
He was in NFL until 2022, but played in his final regular-season game in 2019 with the Colts before being ruled out due to the COVID-19 pandemic and time on practice squads. In the NFL, he finished his career with 164 receptions for 2,265 yards and 21 touchdowns.
His plan was always to end his sporting career playing basketball and he debuted in professional basketball in November last year, getting one step closer to fulfilling his three promises to his grandfather. In his first game, he played for Statham Academy in a 2023 AsiaBasket Dasmariñas Championship game, finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds.
When he opted out of the 2020 season, putting the health of his grandfather, whom he helped care for, first, his love for basketball was once again ignited.
“I started dribbling and once you start dribbling, you get addicted to it,” Funchess said, after giving in to his cousin telling him to play basketball again, something he hadn’t done for fear of getting hurt and impacting his football. career. This is what all the greats in the sport say: you have to do this every day, you have to do this every day and make sure you fall in love with it. So I was just doing it to deal with something I’ve never had to deal with – being away from football – so it was kind of like an outlet for me to think about all the different possibilities.”
Funchess credits that moment to his cousin, Aden Holloway of Alabama, for bringing basketball into his life.
“He’s my biggest, I tell him, you’re my biggest motivator,” Funchess shared. “He made me fall in love again with a sport I thought I was completely retired from.”
Looking ahead, Funchess hopes to open tryouts with the LA Clippers G League team, the Ontario Clippers, and the Charlotte Hornets G League team, the Greensboro Swarm.
“I’ve been trying to work so hard to get back to the United States and get [my grandfather] in one of those cities so he can come out and see me play,” he said, adding that he would love to play for the Swarm because his family is from North Carolina.
“I’m just trying to be the artist in the family and still allow them to have different experiences, go to different places, see different things. So that’s my job in the family: to live all my dreams so they can enjoy my dreams.” Funchess said.
Swarm GM Cole Teal commented on Funchess’ pursuit of a basketball career, saying he gives him credit for “pursuing his passion and really trying.” He added that playing in a professional league in Colombia is a good start.
“You have to build a resume and make the organization feel comfortable taking risks,” Teal said, noting that athletics will translate even though the sports are very different.
