LeBron James is widely recognized as one of the most athletic basketball players in NBA history, and Davante Adams, a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, believes this talent would have translated well to football. On The Dan Patrick Show, Adams expressed confidence that James could have been an exceptional NFL player.
“He would’ve been one of the best wide receivers or tight ends of all time, no question,”
Adams said.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever seen him play football. He can fly, too. That’s the thing, he’s one of the fastest NBA players of all time. I’ve never seen somebody cover space that way on a basketball court.”
—Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver
Physical Attributes Align with NFL Positions
Standing 6’9″ and weighing 250 pounds, LeBron James has size comparable to many NFL tight ends. However, his speed and agility are closer to those expected of wide receivers, making him an unusual but potentially unstoppable hybrid athlete on the football field. Experts have speculated that if James had chosen football over basketball, he could have developed into a highly productive NFL star.
During the 2011 NBA lockout, James had the opportunity to explore the possibility of a football career. He revealed in a 2021 interview with The Athletic that both the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys invited him for tryouts, highlighting NFL teams’ genuine interest in his skills.
Choosing Basketball Led to Historic Success
Ultimately, LeBron James decided to focus on basketball, a choice that led him to win four NBA championships and become the league’s all-time leading scorer. Though his LeBron James NFL football potential remains a topic of discussion, his achievements on the basketball court have already secured his place among the greatest athletes of his generation.