ATHENS — The NBA features some of the greatest athletes in the world, LeBron James, Zion Williamson and Anthony (AntMan) Edwards among them.

Indeed, Edwards was a football phenom growing up in Atlanta before his basketball skills dictated he focus exclusive on the sport he would later play with the Georgia Bulldogs en route to becoming a No. 1 NBA draft pick.

Rising Georgia sophomore Silas Demary Jr. has NBA aspirations, but like Edwards has the sort of frame that could — and once did — translate to football.

“I played all the way up to my sophomore year in high school,” Demary Jr. told DawgNation, asked about his football skills.

“I played running back, receiver and quarterback, so I had my fair share of football.”

Edwards fancied himself so much of a football talent that, while at Georgia, he would mimic cornerback drills during the offseason workouts the basketball team would do outside of the football building.

“Ant would be yelling and looking up at the offices,” former UGA coach Tom Crean said, “and hoping Kirby Smart was watching.”

Demary Jr. chuckled when hearing of Edwards’ and confessed he, too, feels he, too, would be capable of earning a spot on the Georgia football roster in another world.

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“I think I could, if I took a couple weeks to go back to training,” Demary Jr. said, challenged by the question during his recent appearance on DawgNation’s “On the Beat” show.”

“I felt I was always gifted at football, that was really my first love for sports, my dad played professionally.”

Silas Demary Sr. played defensive line at Virginia State before an eight year professional career in the Arena Football League, earning All-Rookie honors (2001), Defensive Player of the Year (2005) along with first-team honors (2005) and second-team honors (2007).

Watching Silas Demary Jr. play, particularly when he aggressively attacks the rim, the football background becomes apparent.

“That fearlessness came from just the way my parents brought me up, obviously you don’t want to fear any man,” Demary Jr. said.

“I’ve been told as long as you trust yourself and you’re confident, there should be no fear within any bone in your body.”

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Demary Jr. most certainly will not don football pads at Georgia or anywhere else, but he maintains that if he attempted it, he’d find a way on the field.

“If I took some days to train, some weeks,” Demary Jr. said with a playful smile, “I feel I could get some PT out there.”