NBA legend LeBron James recently made an appearance on the “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast, where he discussed the time he almost considered a career in the NFL, including during the lockout of the NBA in 2011. The superstar revealed, “I didn’t know when we were going to make a deal with the owners and get our league back on track. So, I actually thought about it a little bit at the time. I was still young enough, you know, to go out there -down with you. It was the only time I really thought about it.”
At 40, James looked back on his high school years as a standout wide receiver at St. Vincent-St. Mary from Akron. He shared that Ohio State offered him the opportunity to play basketball and football, but he ultimately left football after his third year. He mentioned, “My best friend at the time, Sian Cotton, ended up going to Ohio State and playing football there. I could have roomed with him, split my time between football in the fall and basketball in winter and spring – it would have been incredible.”
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However, the basketball prodigy chose the NBA route, entering the league as the first overall pick in 2003. When asked to compare himself to current NFL players, James said, “I’m probably like a hybrid of Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) and Randy Moss, although I’m a little taller. But speed-wise, he’s faster and a little smaller than me. Then there’s Megatron (Calvin Johnson) – we have similar sizes. I also really admired Tony Gonzalez; his size and athleticism was impressive, especially seeing him dunk on the goal post.
In this lively conversation, James gave his thoughts on the challenge of moving from one sport to another. When asked whether it is more difficult for an NFL player to join the NBA or vice versa, he expressed, “I’ve seen the debates, and I honestly believe it’s easier for a basketball player to try to get into the NFL than for an NFL player to try to get into the NBA.”
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James also offered his picks for NBA players who could easily transition to football, citing “Russell Westbrook ou Anthony Edwards.”
His passion for football is evident through his social media posts and during the podcast, where he enthusiastically mentioned his commitment to watching as many NFL, college and high school games as possible.
Showcasing his footballing expertise, James pointed out player injuries, team changes, and those who were struggling or thriving in the league. As the Kelce brothers joked about the rivalry between the NFL and NBA Christmas games, James happily conceded, “From a viewership standpoint, you clearly outperformed us.”
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