Could LeBron James Also Star on the Gridiron?
By Jessica Piazza
TWIF Featured Columnist
“A Girl’s Glimpse of the Game”
There are many standout athletes in the world of sports, but these days LeBron James is definitely on top.
Jessica Piazza/TWIF
He’s an NBA superstar, and household name.
James’ age of 25 years, coupled with his unparalleled talent, makes him the most distinctive athlete of our era.
His sign-and-trade deal from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat caught headlines recently, leaving a bad taste in the city of Cleveland’s mouth.
But it’s still hard not to respect his flair and athleticism.
So much so, that you can’t help but wonder, could James be as adept with the pigskin as he is with the basketball?
There are a number of two-sport stars that have donned both basketball and football jerseys during their careers.
Rickey Dudley started as a basketball player for Ohio State, averaging 13.3 points per game, before switching to tight end for the Buckeyes, and eventually becoming the Oakland Raiders’ No. 1 pick in 1996.
Terry Baker, the 1962 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback for Oregon State, also led the Beavers to the 1963 Final Four as a third-team All-American point guard. To date, Baker is the only athlete to ever win the Heisman and play in a Final Four. And shortly thereafter, he was drafted first overall in the 1963 NFL Draft.
Dudley and Baker are just a couple of examples that prove the two-sport transition at the highest levels, most notably basketball to football, can be done.
But would it work for James?
LeBron James sporting a Cleveland Browns uniform for an Allstate commerical that was broadcast last fall.
Cleveland Browns Coach Eric Mangini would certainly consider handing James an orange helmet.
“I think he should come on down,” Mangini said in November. “I know he’s pretty busy right now, but if he wants to give it a shot, the guy is gifted. He’s competitive and tough. I’m sure whatever he applied himself to, he’d probably be good in.”
Even James himself has said, “If I put all my time and commitment into it, if I dedicated myself to the game of football, I could be really good…no matter what team I was on.”
There’s little doubt that James would make, at the very least, a decent contender on the gridiron. But let’s be reasonable, as James would be insane to do so. Not when he has things going so well while playing in the NBA right now.
To start, James is one of the strongest competitors on the hardwood with his strong drives, soaring dunks and quick and precise passes. But to further exhibit his influence, he’s arranged and organized a very soon-to-be effective lineup for the Heat with “superfriends” Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Add that to all the “heat” James took from Clevelanders following his playoff performance (or lack-there-of), the scandalous rumors of his mother dating former teammate Delonte West, it’s no surprise he chose to swap cities.
Though the move may be in James’ best interest, as he is on a desperate title hunt, Cleveland is understandably resentful about his departure.
LeBron James was an All-Ohio wide receiver for Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.
Great Lakes Brewing Co., based out of Cleveland, developed what they call “Quitness,” a pale ale with a dry and bitter taste, paying homage to James’ departure and playoff debacle.
But remember, it was James who single-handedly thrust Cleveland into the national basketball scene. And it was James who shifted the national spotlight onto northern Ohio with his unmatched skills and expertise.
He wasn’t part of the team. He was the team. And as his nickname suggests, he was, and still is, “The King.”
That said, it’s absurd to think James could do the same in any other sports arena. Such as football.
He would certainly not have the same opportunity in the NFL that he has afforded himself in the NBA. Even if he dedicated himself solely to the sport of football, he would never surpass the authority he holds in an NBA arena.
King James is not only ruler of the hardwood, but he is transforming the NBA all together.
He calls the “shots,” so-to-speak, and his presence creates the value.
His team, his league, the press and his fans all derive their power from him.
It’s a genius approach – recognizing that free agency is more than just an individual opportunity to change teams and earn more money.
The King.
Recognizing that it is an opportunity to incorporate other free agents into the equation, as well.
The NBA is without question a player’s league, and along with the King’s court of Wade and Bosh, James has redrawn the NBA’s competitive map.
He is revolutionizing the game, and we are all, still, witnesses.
