Kim Kardashian's ex Kris Humphries was a better swimmer than Michael Phelps

If Kris Humphries had a theme song Celine Dion's sleeper hit, Coulda Woulda Shoulda would be it.

The basketballer, who has played ball for about seven NBA teams throughout his career, was a better swimmer than Michael Phelps, just five years before he made his Olympic debut.

While Humphries also holds the record for one of Hollywood's shortest marriages – hanging in there with Kim Kardashian for 72 days – back in 1995 he beat Phelps in the pool. 

While Phelps took out the 100-metre butterfly in the 10-and-under age group, Humphries posted the best time for the 50-metre fly. 

According to official USA Swimming records Humphries, at age 10, clocked the fastest times in six different events and also triumphed over Olympian and home hair dye enthusiast Ryan Lochte.

This Barracuda-esque tale was uncovered by KL Chouinard, a reporter who works for Humphries' latest team, the Atlanta Hawks. 

According to the report, published on the NBA website, the athlete Khloe Kardashian once referred to as a "barking dog", took out the 50-metre freestyle, the 100-metre freestyle, the 50-metre butterfly, the 50-metre backstroke, the 50-metre breaststroke. He also won the 200-metre individual medley, Phelps' pet event, one that he has won gold in at the past four Olympics.

Humphries' times from the 1995 season for the 50-metre and 100-metre freestyle lasted in the US Swimming's youth national record books for more than 18 years. 

"The Humph", as he was referred to on the myriad of reality show's produced and starring his former in-laws between 2010 and 2011, has spoken about his swimming career that never was during the early days of his and Kim's relationship. 

"I was so good at a young age that I got a little burnt out," he told People in 2010. "I also grew up in the Michael Jordan era ... for me, I watched [basketball] and saw it as a challenge. It's hard to stay focused on something when you have a tonne of success at a young age, so I picked up basketball a little later and rolled with that."

He then hung up his Speedos to pursue a less-than-stellar basketball career. What he missed out on in gold medals he made up for by earning more than $60 million in salaries and endorsements over his 12-year stint in the NBA.