Riley Leonard has been unstoppable since Notre Dame’s loss to NIU in Week 2 of the college football season. The quarterback, along with head coach Marcus Freeman, has punched a ticket to the national championship after winning the Orange Bowl. The Fighting Irish will face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Ahead of the title game, Leonard opened up about his basketball skills—an alternate career path he might have pursued if not for football.
Riley Leonard Recalls His Time at Duke
The Fighting Irish quarterback transferred to Notre Dame last year after spending three seasons with the Duke Blue Devils. His move raised eyebrows, with analysts speculating about Freeman’s potential downfall. However, the 2024 season changed everything.
MORE: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame Prediction
On Thursday, former Heisman winner Robert Griffin III shared a clip of his conversation with Leonard about a recent viral basketball video. The passer explained that he had serious skills on the court and could have thrived playing alongside Paolo Banchero.
“I didn’t necessarily like the handles, though, because to have handles, you got to be in the gym all day, every day,” Leonard said. “My class, when I got there at Duke in the summer, was with Paolo, so we used to go to Cameron late at night and hoop, which is dope. I was always trying to sneak in there and play with them boys and see if I could really prove myself.”
He went on to share one of his biggest basketball regrets.
Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard has led the Fighting Irish to the National Championship in football, but he could have played basketball at Duke with Paolo Banchero and done DAMAGE.
“I would hold my own. I’ll put it that way.” pic.twitter.com/NSgOPXip7g
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 16, 2025
“That’s one of my biggest regrets. I wish I would have hit Coach K up my freshman year and just let me go to the layup line. My jump shot’s broke. I have no handles at the point, but I can still get up and throw some down like that. Dang. I wish I would have done that,” he added.
When asked whether he would have ever scored on Banchero, Leonard had the perfect response.
“Paolo is different. Now, I would hold my own. I’ll put it that way, like I genuinely think I’d hold my own,” Leonard said. “But, yeah, I miss hoops. Like, if you ask somebody from my hometown about me, they’re probably gonna say, ‘Oh, the basketball player.’ That’s kind of how they know me.”
Leonard transferred to Notre Dame for the 2024 season with one goal in mind—reaching the national championship. Now, he’s set for a massive showdown against Ohio State. Entering the game, the Fighting Irish are +280 underdogs to claim the title.
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