The game is on for basketball Courtois

AT 6ft 6in and with a safe pair of hands, Thibaut Courtois had the physical tools to make a career out of basketball.

In another life, the former Chelsea goalkeeper could have raised the NBA trophy instead of the Premier League one.

Having returned to training at Real Madrid two weeks ago, his 28th birthday, the Belgium international (above) has been keeping boredom at bay by indulging his passion for hoops.

Each Sunday he has battled another big name from the world of sport as part of a series of challenges at computer game NBA2K20, from Romelu Lukaku to Sergio Aguero. Tonight, it’s F1 driver Pierre Gasly.

Courtois’ love of basketball started as a child growing up in Belgium, and has developed to the point where he now takes at least one trip per year Stateside to see a game.

He revealed: “When I started watching basketball, you had Shaq O’neal and Kobe Bryant at the Lakers.

“Then, you had Lebron. I also liked Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki, who was dominating the game and, as a European, it is always special to see that.”

Indeed, German centre

Nowitzki dominated the NBA for 21 years, all of them as a one-club man at the Dallas Mavericks, including an NBA Finals triumph in 2011.

That was the same year that Courtois signed for Chelsea as the long-term successor to Petr Cech.

But it was a football journey that began as an outfield player.

He said: “I started as a left-back. When I was eight I was in a tournament in Germany with Genk and they were asking for a guy to be in goal.

“I volunteered because I played volleyball, so I liked to dive. I turned out to be the best goalkeeper in that tournament.”

Courtois’ love of basketball is perhaps best exhibited in his claim that “If I had two days off, I would fly to New York or anywhere to see it.”

He did just that six months ago when he jetted to Miami.

Courtois was at a Heat76ers game, under the basket, when Miami rookie Tyler Herro went flying off court in pursuit of a loose ball.

Herro was in danger of a nasty accident with the scorer’s table before Courtois wrapped his big arms round him.

“He jumped and I caught him,” Courtois said. Fans of Chelsea, Real Madrid and Belgium would expect no less.