Striving for Greatness...on the football field?
Many people probably do not know this, but LeBron James was also a stare football player back at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. Well, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster must be aware of this past with his ongoing recruitment of LeBron to join the Pittsburgh Steelers. However during James sophomore and junior year at St. Vincent-St. Mary, James was all-state receiver before giving up the sport to become a multimillionaire teenager in the NBA. LeBron could have easily gone from high school to the NFL if it was possible for him. LeBron James has given the NBA some memorable moments from being on the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA finals, his chase down blocks, "The Decision," and for 15 years being consistently dominant in the NBA. Now think what if LeBron would have chosen football over basketball.
James has shown his football ability even after with high school with his flag football games in the offseason. The sports world was even more teased in the 2009 commercial with State Farm. In this commercial James daydreams of signing with the Cleveland Browns. This sounds so much better for James and the Browns if it actually happened today right? In the dream though, James signs with the Cleveland Browns and shows off his athleticism playing against the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl blocking a field goal, toying with defenders as a receiver, and even gives a glimpse of his touchdown celebration. Of course he dunks on the goal post as his celebration. The commercial ends with LeBron James actually bringing home the first championship in Cleveland through the Browns against the Miami Dolphins awkwardly. He then wakes up out of this dream and continues as an NBA star. Does that not make you want o actually see LeBron James on the football field.
Imagine it, LeBron James is already 6'8", 250 pounds. That sounds very close to another star NFL TE, Rob Gronkowski who is 6'6 and 265 pounds. James stamina explosiveness and ability to adjust to a wide range of motions in the NBA shows just how great he would be in the NFL. James presents match up problems with his ability and size. It is no question does LeBron James have the physical demands to be in the NFL.
Then you think can he be ready for this contact sport. For James past 15 years in the NBA, he has been seen dunking over and pushing through the hardest contact. For many NBA players, they just get out of James's way when he is going to the basket or try their hardest to stop him. As we see from James career no one has been able to stop that freight train when it is coming to the basket. LeBron has what it takes to play in the NFL.
LeBron's legacy in the NBA has been secured even with his failure to chase that ghost in Chicago. 3 NBA champion, 3x Finals MVP, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, Top 10 in all-time points, assists, and rebounds. LeBron has blown past the sky with his stellar NBA career. How much more would LeBron James legacy be defined as a two-sport athlete? Would he be better than Deion "Primetime" Sanders and Bo Jackson? Maybe the 2018 summer will reveal how LeBron will continue to define his legacy as an athlete.
