LeBron James in the NFL? Lakers star claims Cowboys or Seahawks would have selected him

If things had gone differently, NBA icon LeBron James might have ended up becoming an NFL player. James played football in high school, and might have ended up making the NFL draft eventually. Even later in his career, the four-time NBA Champion has spoken about considering an NFL career. So it has made fans wonder, 'What if there was a LeBron James NFL career?'

LeBron James NFL tryouts: King James considered a career switch during the 2011 NBA lockout

Earlier this year, The Athletic's Christopher Kamrani and Bill Oram wrote about James and NFL, and how the Los Angeles Lakers star would have ended up playing for some team. As per reports, the LeBron James NFL tryouts rumors gained lot of tractio during the 2011 NBA lockout. A LeBron James Cowboys or Seattle Seahawks deal could even have been a possibility, especially if James had kept at the running routes and other workouts he had started. 

LeBron James Seahawks and LeBron James Cowboys offers

James, on his end, seemed pretty confident about his skills. "I would have made the team," he said. James added that if he had tried out, he would have eventually made the team. James spoke about not minding to work for something he wants, and knew that he would have ended up signing with the Cowboys or Seahawks. "I just know what I'm capable of doing on the football field. Especially at that age". His inner circle apparently talked him out of the decision. 

During an UNINTERRUPTED appearance last year, James spoke about football and how he often dreams about playing the sport. That being said, college football programs had also tried to recruit James. He spoke to The Athletic about the same, adding that the then-Notre Dame receivers coach Urban Meyer was among those who tried to recruit him. 

If at all James had chosen NFL over NBA, he would have been eligible for the 2005 NFL Draft. In 2019, Brian Windhorst of ESPN spoke about the same, wondering if James would have been another Rob Gronkowski. While Gronk is one of the best tight ends in the game, his NFL career was plagued with countless injuries.  “He would have had so many more injuries and his career would have been so much shorter," Windhorst said, stating that he does not think James made any error. 

LeBron James football stats

When in high school (St. Vincent-St. Mary), James was the two-time All-Ohio wide receiver. In senior year, James was focused on basketball, and did not play. Per reports, James finished his junior high school season with 57 receptions for 1,160 yards and 15 TDs. Despite being double-teamed, James had an all-state season.