LeBron James made a pivotal decision before his senior year of high school, choosing to end his path in football to pursue his NBA dreams. The decision proved to be the right one for one of the NBA’s all-time greats, but he might have enjoyed a similar outcome if he stayed on the gridiron.
James went straight for the NBA coming out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003. If the 6-foot-8 athlete with a 7-foot wingspan had chosen an alternate path and went to Ohio State to play football, at least one NFL scout believes he would have been one of the NFL’s all-time greats.
It’s not the first time James’ hypothetical achievements have been talked about. Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers suggested James could have become the best player in NFL history.
James attracted historic attention for his basketball skills in high school, but he also attracted plenty of eyes from football coaches. During his junior season, schools like Ohio State, Miami and Alabama were reportedly recruiting him to join their programs.
We’ve seen what the likes of Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham, former college basketball players, achieved during their NFL careers. Given James’ unmatched athleticism, strength and size, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he achieved historic greatness on the gridiron.
Since he’s one of the wealthiest athletes on the planet and could become a billionaire in a few years, we’d say James is happy with his decision.