Lebron James, IN A FOOTBALL JERSEY? The King’s Journey With Football

On New Heights, a podcast with the Kelce twins, Travis and Jason, Lebron revealed a surprising truth. We all know Lebron is a massive football fan, and even played football through High School as a Varsity Receiver. Ohio State (who won the CFP recently), even offered him a scholarship to play both sports for them, basketball and football. What we didn’t know is that Lebron seriously thought about switching to the NFL halfway through his career. “We know you played football for Saint Vincent-Saint Mary, man,” said Travis Kelce, the tight end for the Chiefs. “Has it ever like, actually crossed your mind like what you could possibly do in the NFL?” Lebron three times said yes. “Absolutely, Absolutely, Absolutely.” Travis smiled and chuckled, and went deeper on the question. “Man like, has it ever been like a serious thought, like, like, What if I just did one year.” Lebron smiling said, “The only time I’ve ever taken it super duper serious was I believe, I think it was 2011, when we had the NBA lockout.” Then, he turned dead serious, “Like I didn’t know when we were gonna make the deal with the owners, and get our league back going so I actually thought about it for a little bit.” Lebron’s Relationship with Football Lebron has always had a great relationship with football. As a child, living in poverty in Akron, Ohio, one day Lebron was playing football outside in a park with his friends. A man walked by, and sat on a nearby bench and watched. This man was Bruce Kelker. Kelker approached the boys and asked if they liked football. “That’s my favorite sport,” Lebron replied. Kelker needed a running back for his team, and Lebron seemed perfect, except for the fact he had no clue how to properly catch, throw, or tackle. He did love watching the NFL though and had learned a fair amount from that. Bruce lined up the boys and the start of the park and told them to race to the other end. Three, two, one, GO! Lebron made the others look like snails to a cheetah, finishing seconds before his friends. “How much football have you played?” Bruce asked, well aware this kid was going to be his next running back. Lebron had never played in a league before, in fact, he had never played on a proper field before. “None,” the fourth grader said. Kelker found this outrageous and unacceptable, so he went to Lebron’s mom, Gloria James. Gloria seemed 100% against every aspect of her son playing in a league. Plus, she couldn’t afford the team and didn’t have time to take him to practices or games because of the extra shifts she was picking up trying to keep food on the table. Kelker said he would give Lebron a scholarship, and pay all the fees, as well as pick him up every day after school to take him. After constant begging from Bruce, Glo looked outside and saw Lebron playing. She said yes. Lebron had a gift. The first time he got the ball in the game as a running back, he did just as Kelker had hoped. Humiliating defenders, Lebron bursted 80 yards for a touchdown that left everybody in awe. Lebron loved the praise from everyone, and loved football even more. Lebron was by far the best player in the league. However, what concerned the coaching staff more than Lebron’s physical ability, but instead the difficulties he and Gloria were facing. In the past three months, they had moved 5 times while waiting for subsidized housing. “I was tired of picking him up at random houses or showing up at one junked-up place and finding out they had already moved to another,” Bruce Kelker said. Football gave Lebron some help with other adults, but without the season in progress, he had no support. That year as a fourth grader, Lebron was absent from school nearly 100 times. Lebron’s life was so disarray, the coach of the team desperately wanted to take Lebron to live with him. Certain Gloria would never agree, he needed to make a case. Kelker decided he shouldn’t be the one to do it. Instead, it should be Frank Walker. He was everybody’s favorite coach who had a steady job and a loving wife. He worked for the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, and had three children. Walker seemed more dedicated to people’s lives off the field than their talent while playing football. Kulker convinced Frank to ask Gloria if he could be Lebron’s guardian until she found a stable home for Lebron. The notion of giving up her son was agonizing. However, she knew it would be better for her little Bron. It was manifest Walker had Gloria’s son's best interests in mind. After countless hours of considering, she hoped Lebron understood she only did this because she loved him. Gloria agreed to the Walker's offer. Life was totally different with the Walkers and soon, his reputation as a football star began to grow. One day, Frank took Lebron and Frank Jr. (his son) outside to play basketball on their court. Frank showed Lebron the fundamentals, and that’s where Lebron first learned his future. Lebron picked up the game with ease, and Frank knew Lebron would be something special. High School Lebron decided to go to St. Vincent- St. Mary to play basketball. His closest friends were on the team, and Lebron wanted to join them (and was good enough to). Once again, Gloria was against the idea of her son playing. She didn’t want him to get hurt and ruin his basketball career. However, the coach for the Freshman team was Jay Brophy, a former Miami Dolphins player. He ensured Lebron’s safety, and Gloria finally gave in. “Jay, just don’t let my baby get hurt,” She said. Jay cracked a smile, “Gloria, if you look at your baby, he’s not such a baby anymore. We’ll take care of him.” Lebron was on the freshman team, but instantly impressed everyone. However, he didn’t like the way the team’s QB was throwing the ball into the receiver's pocket. Frustrated, he gathered the team up, looked at the coach and the quarterback and said, “I’m quarterback now.” Impressed by Lebron’s natural talent and leadership, Brophy went to Saint V’s varsity coach, Jim Meyer, and pleaded to promote the teenager to the varsity squad. Meyer said the Varsity squad should be for the higher classmen, and said he didn’t want Lebron. There was also a high injury risk due to size and physicality. Brophy informed Meyer Lebron was already taller than half the team. He was also quicker, more versatile, stronger, and had way more talent. Jim Meyer put up a fight, but finally gave in. Lebron was on the best football team in school, as a freshman. The Varsity team was much more skilled than the last team he was on. However, even though he was as good or better, Maverick Carter, his best friend, was a senior and also played wide receiver. So did the coach’s son. Lebron was sentenced to the sideline, which killed him. It was about politics, not talent, which is the first time Lebron had ever dealt with it. It killed him to not start. After a strong season, the Fighting Irish got down 15-0 in the fourth quarter in a playoff game. frustrated the quarterback yelled at the coach to put him in. “I don’t care if he only knows one play,” the quarterback said. With time running out on the clock, Lebron subbed in. Lebron was ready to go. Lebron was humiliating his defender, like he did in peewee, getting steps ahead of him and getting open catches. The new offense was to get him the ball and get out of the way. Lebron got 9 catches for over 100 yards, and scored 2 touchdowns which narrowed down the score to 14-15 but it was too late. The season was over. Seeing Lebron’s talent everybody agonized not playing him the whole season. The locker room was silent as everyone processed this. Lebron’s sophomore season went differently. After his outburst in the playoff game, he started and that season he scored 7 touchdowns and caught 46 times for 905 yards. His junior year he led his team to the playoff semi-finals, but they lost. He also earned first-team all-state. He received 60 passes, ran 1,200 yards, and entered the endzone 16 times. His senior year, he knew he wanted to commit to basketball and go pro to the NBA, regardless that he was the number one prospect in the state of Ohio. He did not play, and knew he would never lace up his cleats ever again. Ohio State offered him to play basketball and football at their school, but Lebron didn’t care. He was skipping college and going straight to the NBA. Lebron was one of the best high-school football players, and received NFL offers, but basketball was always more important. Maybe it would have been different if Frank Walker hadn’t taught Lebron, but I think it was better Lebron went pro to basketball, considering he is one of the best players to ever play.