Sep 15, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox (81) rushes with the football between Green Bay Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (58) and safety Javon Bullard (20) during the third quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Colts Have One of Rare NFL Players Who Could've Been in NBA

Originally posted on Indianapolis Colts on SI
By Jake Arthur | Last updated Jun 28, 2025 8:00 AM ET

One of the oldest debates in sports is whether certain players from one pro league could play in another.

We've seen it before with the likes of NFLers Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson playing in the MLB, but the hottest arguments usually center around the NFL and NBA.

The NBA held its 2025 draft this week, which prompted SI.com's Gilberto Manzano to put together a 15-man roster full of NFL players who could've played in the NBA, and one of the most sensible options is Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox as a power forward.

"Alie-Cox is a true hooper as a former VCU men’s basketball standout," Manzano wrote. "The 6-6 forward started 103 games in four seasons and averaged at least nine points and four rebounds in his final two seasons. He was a blocking machine!"

The 31-year-old Colts tight end was, once upon a time, one of the biggest defensive standouts in college basketball, three times earning Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team recognition.

Alie-Cox started 103-of-142 career games for the VCU Rams, averaging 7.7 points on 57.4% shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 0.6 steals in 23.4 minutes per game. He remains the school's career leader in field goal percentage.

Despite not playing organized football since his freshman year of high school, the Colts were intrigued, signing Alie-Cox in 2017 as then-new general manager Chris Ballard's first external acquisition.

Alie-Cox has gone on to be a respectable NFL player, starting 47-of-108 career games for the Colts and catching 114 passes for 1,433 yards (12.6 avg.) and 15 touchdowns. His career run-blocking grade of 62.9 would be about average, according to Pro Football Focus, but his 69.4 in pass blocking is above average.

Here is the rest of Manzano's roster: