LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes of all time - in any sport.
In his 20th season in the NBA, he is considered the greatest of all time and has the accolades to prove it.
He became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer last month, overtaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar whose record stood for almost 40 years.
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A certified basketball legend - but fans are only now realising that he very much could’ve been an all-time great in a different sport.
Unseen footage has emerged online of the basketball GOAT playing football while in high school.
The video dates back to the early 2000s when James was playing for the St. Vincent-St Mary high school football team.
While the footage is a little hazy it makes for truly fascinating viewing, watching a young James battle it out on the football field.
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He was a wide receiver and was considered a number one football prospect in Ohio.
Playing two years of high school football, he averages ridiculously good numbers, according to Sporting News.
He racked up 23 receiving touchdowns over the two seasons - with that ever-evident jumping ability a key component of that success.
His insane size and athletic ability were always on display, regardless of what sport he graced his presence with.
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He received recruiting interest from several big-name schools but never wavered in his desire to play in the NBA - and thank the lord he didn’t.
A fellow student at the time by the name of Matt McDonald recalled him as being a ‘man amongst boys’ on the football field, according to Bleacher Report.
A few years later he entered the NBA as part of the 2003 draft.
He did, in fact, receive a couple of opportunistic offers to play in the NFL during the 2011 NBA lockout.
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Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Pete Carroll of the Seatlle Seahawks made ambitious attempts to lure James to the NFL.
James ended up staying with basketball - but he definitely thought about the offers.
During an appearance on Monday Night Football, he said: "Jerry Jones offered me a contract also Pete Carroll did as well in Seattle during our lockout time.
"It definitely got my blood flowing again, it got my mind raising again thinking about the game of football and being out there on Sundays.
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“But we were able to get a deal done in the NBA and I was back on the court in no time but I definitely thought about it."
Featured Image Credit: @CrossedSports/Twitter.Topics: NFL, NBA, Lebron James, American Football, Basketball
