There's many many reasons to choose basketball over football professionally, along with what has already been stated....
-The NBA allows you to have a personality, build a brand, etc. The NFL is the exact opposite. They want you to be boring.
-Potential earnings. You can become a billionaire if you play your cards right in the NBA. Shoot, in the NFL, you will be lucky/fortunate to reach 100 million, unless your a quarterback.
-Popularity. NBA superstars are famous/icons/worldwide popularity. NFL couldn't be more opposite, again, because they don't promote individuality. ESPN recently did a 100 most famous athletes in the world piece. The NBA had like half of the top 10 guys (really was all NBA and soccer). The NFL's most famous athlete was Brady at like #29 lol.
-Basketball is cooler.
-Duke basketball is way cooler than any football program.