“Do I have college eligibility if I went to play another sport besides basketball?” - LeBron James sends Internet in a frenzy by posing compelling question
Yesterday, LeBron James was watching a game of college football. Naturally, the Ohio native supports the Ohio State Buckeyes, who went up against the Wisconsin Badgers. Before the game began, LeBron tweeted about whether or not he'd be qualified to play for a college team outside basketball.
"Do I have eligibility if I went to play another sport besides basketball? How does that rule work?" LeBron tweeted.
Do I have college eligibility if I went to play another sport besides basketball? How does that rule work?
If we're looking at the technical aspect of things, LeBron James finished high school, which means he can enroll in college. A good example would be JR Smith, who decided to finish his education and is now playing collegiate golf. James can definitely take a similar path if he's serious about playing collegiate sports.
Of course, we're not entirely sure if LeBron wants to pursue college. He's currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, trying to get back in the title picture. James' mind is definitely on winning more championships in the final stretch of his career.
But if we're going to answer the question, can a seasoned basketball veteran still play collegiate football? If anyone can do it, it's LeBron James.
LeBron's secondary sport is football, which already gives him the edge to play the sport. Aside from his football roots, James has proved time and time again that getting old doesn't matter to him. Now entering his 20th NBA season, James seems ageless and consistently plays like he's in his prime. Perhaps LeBron could try college football.
LeBron James' Football Background
LeBron James' high school nickname, "The Chosen One," fits him perfectly. Many might be unaware, but LeBron was also an excellent high school football player.
LeBron played football for two seasons for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. Sporting the jersey number "9," James put up incredible numbers as a high school player. According to The Sporting News, he had 103 catches, 2,065 yards, and 23 touchdowns. Achieving these numbers in two seasons made him Ohio's top football prospect.
LeBron James was a physically gifted high schooler. He had one of the biggest frames, was quick and agile, and could leap higher than everybody else. It was difficult to tackle James since he could easily outmaneuver everybody on the playing field. It took a lot of effort and multiple bodies to take him down.
Thanks to LeBron's ridiculous athletic abilities, many praised him. Even his high school coach believed he could've become one of the NFL's all-time greats had he pursued the sport.
LeBron's high school football coach thinks LBJ would've been one of the NFL greats 👀👀 @KingJames @STVMFootball
(via @MoveTheSticks) https://t.co/viV7Mmjj4I
LeBron eventually decided to quit playing football. According to him, he would've still been playing the sport if he had a better quarterback. James also wanted to protect himself from accumulating injuries that could prohibit him from playing basketball.
Of course, the contact at the high school level compared to college is vastly different. Additionally, the contact in college football far exceeds anything LeBron has experienced in the NBA. It seems unlikely that someone of his age would pursue such an injury-inducing sport at his age.
"If I would’ve had a better quarterback in high school, I might’ve continued to play football. I took way too many hits." - LeBron James on the ManningCast