How many times have you heard the question asked, "What if LeBron James had chosen football over basketball?"
Even at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where James was one of the top football recruits in the state of Ohio, it was clear his future was on the hardcourt. His run of dominance in the NBA has been so profound since 2003, however, that even today, at 35 years old, James has people thinking about what might have been.
So it is for Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who interviewed with Austin Rivers on Wednesday and said that James "may have been the greatest football player ever" had he chosen that route.
"Michael (Jordan) was a super athlete, so was Kobe (Bryant), so was Kawhi (Leonard)," Rivers said. "I don't know that there's ever been an athlete like LeBron James in our league. I really believe if LeBron James had have played football, he may have been the greatest football player ever, at whatever position."
Austin Rivers & Doc Rivers agree on LeBron James being the greatest athlete of all-time
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) May 13, 2020
“I really believe if LeBron James had to play football, he may have been the greatest football player ever.”
(🎥 @uninterrupted ) pic.twitter.com/T48KRneg0z
MORE: Jordan vs. LeBron — the key stats you need to know in the GOAT debate
Per this news clip James shared to his Instagram page, he caught 60 passes for 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior (The New York Times reports that he actually caught 61 passes for 1,245 yards and 16 touchdowns; an improvement from his 42-catch, 820-yard, seven-touchdown season as a a sophomore).
With James standing at a listed 6-8, 232 pounds, it's easy to see how he would have been one of the most coveted high school recruits in the nation, regardless of position. It stands to reason that James — an Akron, Ohio native — probably would have gone to powerhouse Ohio State had he chosen football as his career choice. James' footbal career ended the summer before his senior year after he broke his wrist in an AAU game.
Just in case you're curious as to what James looked like as a football player, here are a few glimpses, both from high school and in flag football: