This was quite the weekend for NBA players stepping off the floor and into other sports, with Stephen Curry teaming with Peyton Manning and losing to Charles Barkley and Phil Mickelson in The Match III on Friday and, on Saturday night, Nate Robinson was in the final undercard fight against Jake Paul on the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view fight.
Robinson’s boxing debut went, well, very poorly as he got knocked down in the first round — which likely should’ve ended the fight but he was allowed to continue — and then, in the second round, was put out cold by an uppercut, short hook combination from Paul that caused Robinson to bounce face first off of the mat.
The former NBA dunk contest champion’s debut drew plenty of eyeballs, including those of his former peers in the league who reacted the same as everyone else. Initially, it was a lot of “DAMN” tweets, followed by everything from concern to jokes to memes.
Be ok Nate……come on man.
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) November 29, 2020
🤦🏾♂️
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) November 29, 2020
Lmao just make sure you really practice for a few years bc I dnt wanna see this happen to you. More poise https://t.co/8ii5XYtRXn
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) November 29, 2020
NIGHT NIGHT
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) November 29, 2020
Nah he didn’t
— Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) November 29, 2020
Damn!!
— Kyle Lowry (@Klow7) November 29, 2020
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) November 29, 2020
Dawg 😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/Qdp532Qcf6
— Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) November 29, 2020
— solomon hill (@solohill) November 29, 2020
😩😩😩
— John Henson (@Johnhenson31) November 29, 2020
Damn! 🥊
— Kyle O'Quinn (@Kyle_OQuinn) November 29, 2020
Woooowwwww
— Marcus Morris (@MookMorris2) November 29, 2020
Damn Nate … "Down goes Frazier!"🤯😱
— THAD YOUNG (@yungsmoove21) November 29, 2020
That’s sad man…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) November 29, 2020
🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
— C.J. Watson (@Quietstorm_32) November 29, 2020
Boxing ain’t that sport to play with!!
— Keef Morris (@Keefmorris) November 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/mikescott/status/1332898923250380802
“ you don’t okay boxing “
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) November 29, 2020
I’m taking the homie back fade @jakepaul
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) November 29, 2020
nate you good?
nate: pic.twitter.com/gM4Zwk8HpS
— solomon hill (@solohill) November 29, 2020
That was no representation of the NBA Family lol
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) November 29, 2020
My guy knocked Nate out and promoting a song then called out some other boxers lol 😂
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) November 29, 2020
I see no lies
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) November 29, 2020
Paul Pierce’s live video reaction was maybe the best as the disappointment was palpable.
.@paulpierce34's reaction to the Jake Paul-Nate Robinson fight 😂 pic.twitter.com/DGDIWsuN5Y
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 29, 2020
Even Dikembe Mutombo had a reaction.
My brother Nate🤦🏾♂️ https://t.co/cdELhKk04B
— Dikembe Mutombo (@officialmutombo) November 29, 2020
Despite the jokes, a lot of guys also made sure to voice their support for Nate for stepping into the ring and giving it his all, appreciating his effort even if the results of his boxing debut didn’t go as planned.
He still a dog💯 @nate_robinson #Respect
— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) November 29, 2020
Glad my bro Nate Rob is ok.
— 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) November 29, 2020
Man respect to Nate for putting himself out there and trying✊🏾
— Paul Millsap (@Paulmillsap4) November 29, 2020
Nate’s not a +1 either…Love the confidence man. Love it.
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) November 29, 2020
Damn hope Nate good
— Robert Covington (@Holla_At_Rob33) November 29, 2020
Shout out to Nate for going out on his shield. All heart ✊🏾
— Terrence Ross (@TerrenceRoss) November 29, 2020
Proud of Nate💪🏾💪🏾
— Langston Galloway (@LangGalloway10) November 29, 2020
