LeBron James was named the NBA’s next great before he entered the league in the 2003 NBA Draft. St. Vincent-St. The Mary High School star is the Cavaliers’ No. 1 pick, and Cleveland hopes he’ll become the league’s next big star.
James did it. He is considered by many to be one of the best players in NBA history and is typically the player who has faced many times against Michael Jordan when it comes to the greatest basketball player of all time.
That said, James could have been an all-time great in a different sport if he hadn’t been attached to basketball. That would be football.
James played football for two seasons while in high school and was considered football’s #1 prospect in Ohio. At 6-8.232 pounds, he is compared to “a taller, slower version of Randy Moss“He received recruiting interest from several big-name schools, but he never budged his desire to play basketball and go to the NBA.
James played his last game 20 years ago. While it is clear that he made the right choice, many football fans still want to imagine what would happen if he chose football instead.
LeBron James High School Football Career
LeBron James Football Stats
James only played high school for two years, but on average he’s scored incredible numbers during that time. He averaged more than 20 yards per reception during his high school career thanks to his ability to both pass and block.
That jumping ability is part of the reason James won 23 TD points in his two seasons. If he’d played the full four years, he’d have hit the pace in 46 touchdowns in his career. That will have associated with saturday in Ohio high school history.
| Season | Catch | Beach | Touchdowns |
| Sophomore | forty six | 905 | 7 |
| Small | 57 | 1,160 | 16 |
| Total | 103 | 2.065 | 23 |
LeBron James football highlights
You’ve seen millions of LeBron’s highlights on the field, but seeing him on the grid is a different kind of experience.
The quality of these 20-year-old highlights may not be the best, but even past grainy pre-HD videos, James’ insane size and athleticism stand out.
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Is LeBron James a good football player?
James was a very good soccer player in high school. He only played two seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School but was named an Ohio statewide recipient twice in those two seasons.
James used his lanky tall, 6-8 goal and incredible athletic ability to make countless impressive catches during his high school days. He also showed his toughness on the pitch. He once broke a finger and was told he didn’t need to play or could be used as a decoy if he were to play. His reaction to the coaches?
“I’m not a decoy,” James said, ESPN.
So why did James stop playing football? There are a number of reasons why James decided to quit the game after his senior year. During an appearance on “Manningcast,” he blamed his decision on poor quarterback play.
“If I had had a better quarterback in high school, I could have continued to play football,” James said. “I took too many hits.”
James also broke his wrist in the 2002 season. So he basically stopped playing to protect his basketball career, because that was always his goal to play. Become a pro in the NBA. That’s part of the reason why he didn’t play in his freshman year.
That said, James has been recruited to play football by a number of notable programs, including Ohio State and Notre Dame. However, as his trainer Jay Brophy said Bleacher Report, James never considered choosing football over basketball.
“I went to him and he was in the library and I said, ‘LeBron, hey, let me ask you, did you really enjoy playing college football? I’ve had a lot of schools asking about it. your playing called me,” Brophy said. “He said, ‘Yes, coach, I’m 99% sure I’ll probably go to the NBA. But I wouldn’t rule that out.”
“He started laughing and said, ‘No coach, I’m joking. I’m going to play basketball.’ I said, ‘Okay, I just want to know.’ “
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Where has LeBron James been in football?
James played wide receiver in his high school days and also played block safety and serve as scout team midfielder. Some believe he can play anywhere if he keeps playing.
St. Vincent-St. Mary Grad and former Indiana support worker Chip Hilling told ESPN. “LeBron can wreak havoc as an outside full-back, a passer-by. He’s a freak.”
That said, James will almost certainly have a tight finish if he continues to play. He has the necessary size (6-8) and elite athletic ability required to be a large, powerful weapon in the form of Antonio Gates.
Gates is a great example of a stellar finish who played NFL football despite never playing college football. He played 16 NFL seasons and scored 116 touchdowns – an NFL record for a tight finish – in 236 games played.
Jimmy Graham is another good example of this. He was primarily a basketball player at Miami before the Saints gave him a 3rd round pick. He only played one season in college as a senior, but he showed enough to break into the top 100 because of his 6-7 frame. Graham scored 701 catches, 8,378 catches and 82 touches. He is still playing as a member of the Bears.
Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez was also a college double runner. Meanwhile, former Broncos’ tight finish Julius Thomas and current Colts tight finish Mo Alie-Cox have spent most of their college careers playing basketball. Thomas played one season at Portland State while Alie-Cox hadn’t played until joining the Colts.
Why do most basketball players end the game? That’s because the skill sets are similar. The laces must be large, capable of blocking and able to use their athletic ability to make contested catches in the middle of the field. Basketball players are usually tall, know how to block bounces and are among the best athletes in the world.
It’s no surprise, then, that the basketball end-to-end pipeline exists. There’s also no doubt that James will play – and potentially excel – in the position.
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Does LeBron James recommend football?
Colleges
James was heavily recruited by traditional college football powerhouses during high school. Consists of Ohio State, Alabama and Miami.
However, as James’ high school soccer coach – former NFL player Jay Brophy – explains, coaches eventually realize it’s a waste of time to chase James. He decided to play basketball.
“Until the coaches understood how great he was and realized that he was definitely going to play basketball, they all wanted him,” Brophy to Bleacher Reportt in 2016. “It’s all great schools.”
NFL
James actually received a few offers to play in the NFL. They came during the 2011 NBA lockdown, when a couple of NFL’s opportunistic minds – Jerry Jones and Pete Carroll – tried to flirt with James while he was off the field.
James explains how offers dropped in an appearance on “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” in Week 4.
“Jerry Jones offered me a contract and Pete Carroll did the same in Seattle during our lockdown,” James told the Manning brothers. “It definitely got my blood flowing again, and my mind popped up again with the football game and getting out on Sunday. But we were able to close a deal in the NBA and I was back on the field. fight right away. but I’ve definitely thought about it.”
James has expressed confidence over the years that he would have been signed if he had taken the auditions with Seahawks, Cowboys or Brown. He was 26 years old by the time the offers were on the table.
“I formed the group,” James told The Athletic. “I tried, but I formed the team. One thing about it, I don’t mind working for something, so if I had to try the Cowboys or the Seahawks, or if I was at home and back home in Cleveland, I tried (out), but I team has been formed.
“I just know what I’m capable of doing on the football field. Especially at that age.”
Alas, the ending zips James back to reality and creates one of the best “what if” hypotheses in the sport. However, he still keeps a few memorabilia from that time in his life.
“I still have the jersey that Jerry and Pete sent me back in 2011,” James said.
