The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James will be tied together for the foreseeable future after the superstar inked a two-year extension.
The new deal keeps James in Los Angeles until at least the end of the 2023-24 season, where he’ll then have an option to opt out and get back into free agency. There were some rumblings that because of how poorly the Lakers have finished the past two seasons that James might consider leaving for greener pastures, but his recommitment to the franchise says he is happy where he’s at.
Training camp isn’t slated to start for another month, but fortunately for fans, the NFL season is just around the corner, with the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills kicking things off on Sept. 8. James is an avid football fan, and during his time in high school he put up his fair share of highlight plays for St. Vincent-St Mary High School via Bally Sports:
Nothing quite like high school football Fridays in Northeast Ohio.#FBF | @KingJames pic.twitter.com/KA0C5t3l3m
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 26, 2022
Although James made the smart decision to pursue a professional basketball career, he could’ve easily been an NFL great had he stuck with football instead. The 37-year-old only played two seasons in high school but was named an All-Ohio wide receiver both years. At 6’8″, James was a mismatch on the field and used his superior athleticism to outjump defensive backs and make defenders miss once he had the football in his hands.
However, even though James strictly committed to football, he flirted with going to the NFL during the 2011 NBA Lockout because he received a contract offer from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Unfortunately, the opportunity never came to fruition, but it’s fun to think about how much James could accomplish in the NFL if it happened.
Chris Paul thinks LeBron James isn’t slowing down anytime soon
Football is a physically-demanding sport that doesn’t allow for many long careers. For James, sticking with basketball was a wise choice as he’s remained one of the NBA’s most elite players well into his late-30s. The combination of his work ethic and talent has allowed him to stay at the top, so Chris Paul believes James isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.