LeBron James and Kevin Durant are about to go head-to-head in the 2017 NBA Finals, but it won’t be the first big-time matchup between the two.
Back in 2011 when NBA teams locked out their players, the two superstars went to battle on a different playing surface in “LeBron’s Flag Football Classic,” which was held in James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio.
James was the captain of one team, while Durant was the captain of the other. It came down to the wire, with The King coming out on top, 70-63, thanks in part to some pick-sixes by James. Though, Durant was no pushover, at one point beating LeBron in the end zone on a leaping grab.
It’s really too bad we don’t see more of these types of events. However, it’s also understandable they don’t occur more regularly, as injuries are a real concern. This was made possible because the players were not under any NBA obligations during the lockout.
Now we’ll get to see these legends duke it out for at least four games in a row when the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers battle in the NBA Finals for the third straight year.