In the Pete Carroll era, the Seattle Seahawks have been more than prone to thinking outside the box, so having former NBA star and Seattle-native Nate Robinson in camp getting a tryout should not really be considered outside the box at this point.

Robinson is one of the best athletes the Seattle area has ever produced, starring in track as well as the gridiron and hardwood at Rainier Beach High before playing at the University of Washington on a football scholarship. In his only collegiate season as a freshman, Nate Rob started six games and picked off two interceptions, including one in an Apple Cup victory over Washington State.

Of course, after his freshman year he decided to leave football to focus on basketball, a move that paid off well for him. He led the Huskies to the NCAA Tournament twice, earning a number one seed his junior year before being selected in the first round of that year's NBA Draft. Since, he's enjoyed an 11-year career, winning the Slam Dunk title three times and spent this past season with the New Orleans Pelicans and a team in Israel.

This past March he announced he would pursue an NFL job, which would make him the first since Bud Grant to play in both the NFL and NBA. But at 32-years-old and 5-9 and 180-pounds, what can we expect from him? Can he realistically make this team?

If there's one thing we know about Pete and John Schnieder's philosophy it's that they like to focus on what a guy can do well, rather than what he can't. Another added bonus is that they can see first hand how basketball skills translate onto the football field with tight end Jimmy Graham, who played basketball at the University of Miami before switching to football.

With his athletic ability and size, I would see him as a punt returner if not for all-world returner Tyler Lockett fully entrenched in that position. Therefore his old position at the UW, cornerback, probably makes the most sense. He's going to have to get stronger, as well as ramp up on his footwork however. But seeing him go toe-to-toe with a slot receiver as a nickleback would be a fun sight to see.

Not to mention there's always the possibility of special teams. And Robinson may be entering at the right time, as when you watch an NFL game today, one can't help but notice that tackling isn't a point of emphasis that it once was, which should only help a man that hasn't played or trained for fotoball since 2002.

Photo:Flickr/Mike Morris