"Thinking about doing my picks of the week": LeBron James aims to turn into NFL pundit on Instagram Live
LeBron James plans to turn into an NFL pundit by making his 'picks of the week' on Instagram Live. It's 'King James' way of portraying his love for the sport amid the NBA offseason preparations. LeBron has actively posted stories of catching live football action for college and NFL games and live commentary on X during games.
The LA Lakers superstar was a football player in high school, which explains his love for the sport. He's often posting about playing Madden in the NFL, too. James seems keen to make known his expertise in the sport with his latest announcement on X.
"Y'all know I love football. With that said I'm thinking about doing my picks of the week(NFL games) tomorrow on IG live before they start," said LeBron on X. "I did pick Detroit over GB TNF. Anyways we'll see"
James was an elite multi-sport prospect in high school as a talented basketball player and a wide receiver. According to Sporting News, James was the No. 1 football prospect in Ohio when he played the sport for two seasons. He even received offers from several big-name schools.
However, 'King James' decided to stick to his dream of playing basketball and entering the NBA. He may have played his last competitive football game more than 20 years ago, but that hasn't stopped him from being an avid follower of college football and the NFL.
It will be intriguing to see LeBron James' Instagram Live predictions if he follows through on his announcement for the same.
LeBron James continues to focus on the new NBA season like a 'rookie'
LeBron James seems to invest significant time in watching football, but he seems to have his schedule figured out ahead of training camp. According to LA Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, James is preparing for the 2023-24 season, his 21st, like a rookie.
"It's staggering for a player who has 20 years under the hood already and is preparing for 21 like he's a rookie," Pelinka said.
"He's been doing 6 a.m. workouts. Probably been in our building as much as any player this offseason. Been in the weight room as much as any player. Any team LeBron's played for, it's been pretty uniform that his work sets the tone."
It isn't surprising to see James treat the offseason with such great excitement. The Lakers are in a solid position to contend for a title again. They have one of the deepest rosters, arguably the deepest team James has ever played with in his 21 years.
It's expected to help him stay in top shape until the business end of the season. Over the last two seasons, due to the Lakers' top-heavy roster nature, LeBron James has had to play playoff-caliber minutes early in the year, adding to his injury struggles since the 2020-21 season.