Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. is launching a new digital show to highlight the NBA’s growing connection with international soccer.
Nance has partnered with the Men in Blazers Media Network on “Switch the Play,” a weekly program that will feature NBA players who are passionate soccer fans. The debut episode, featuring Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso, is scheduled for Thursday.
“I entered the NBA in 2015, and I was probably one of only a couple of guys in the league that could tell you who won the Premier League the previous season,” Nance said. “Now, soccer is a constant conversation starter in the locker room. Soccer’s popularity has grown so much over the past 10 years, as has the international influence on the NBA creating more and more players that follow the game consistently.”
Many of the league’s top stars, including Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Luka Doncic, James Harden and Joel Embiid, openly follow soccer. Wembanyama attended a Paris Saint-Germain match last season, while Lionel Messi and other Inter Miami players have been spotted at Miami Heat games.
The NBA has also borrowed from soccer culture, too. After all, where do you think the NBA Cup came from? That’s right, the in-season tournament was designed partly after European in-season competitions.
“This show will give stars from around the league the opportunity to let fans hear them talk about their soccer fandom, parallels in the two games, and how we see it as professional athletes,” Nance said.
Nance, who played soccer at Revere High School until he was 16, became a part-owner of Premier League club Leeds United in 2023. He rejoined the Cavaliers in July, returning for a second stint after playing for the franchise from 2018 to 2021.
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