ENTERTAINMENT: From Athlete to Star with Felix Von Hofe, a Former NBL player
As pro athletes discover themselves in the limelight of halftime shows and live interviews, it seems natural for them to step into a media career when they retire from the sport… or is it?
There is a big difference between an AFL star retiring and getting a role on The Footy Show versus a gig on Shark Tank or acting in Neighbours, but it's more common than you might think.
Is there a correct way for athletes to retire?
If you follow us on Instagram, you would've seen our post on former NBL pro-basketball player Felix Von Hofe, Australia's newest Bachelor and TV heartthrob.
This handsome heartbreaker is close to the community and what it has to offer, with him hanging out at Prahran Summer Jam basketball competitions and showing support to Christmas on the Streets (A charity run by the most kind-hearted person helping our homeless brothers and sisters, as well as our very own Ego Volunteers Coordinator, Roseanne Rofaeel).
He's easy on the eye with a heart of gold, so we wonder how this season will fare.
The list of athlete-turned-star is long, and you might have even caught your favourites on the big screen.
Former NBA pro-Michael Jordan and tennis icon Serena Williams have tried their hand at movies and TV.
Funnily enough, these big names often play themselves.
For example, LeBron James has played himself not once but twice and made his debut in the 2015 film Trainwreck.
Shaquille O'Neal starred amazingly in Kazaam.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson went from pro-wrestler to acting in The Tooth Fairy, Fast and Furious, and Space Jam: A New Legacy (to name a few), and he does a damn good job of it all!
Since starting on Australian TV in 2015, two out of three winners of I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! has seen sports stars win after spending time 'in the jungle'.
Some former footballers make it into the Big Brother house. After retiring from AFL, former Sydney and Adelaide player Ryan Fitzgerald made it to the fourth series of this controversial and juicy-gossip show.
Athletes also seem to see themselves on Dancing with the Stars (Anthony Koutoufides (AFL),
David Rodan (AFL), Ian Roberts (Rugby League), Danny Green (Boxing) and more).
Even more recently, the 2023 cast for Celebrity Apprentice has its own two pros: Bronte Campbell (Olympic Swimmer) and Benji Marshall (NRL Champion).
It's interesting to see the personalities behind the skill of pro athletes. Sometimes we can forget that they are also people and not just machines on the court, field and pool.
Who would you like to see retire to the big screen?