LeBron James Shows off Football Skills During Lakers Game

NBA star LeBron James has long been discussed as someone that could transition from the NBA to the NFL due to his size and the success of other former basketball players. This never took place as James has instead focused on his basketball career, but he added more to the discussion on Friday night. Late in the second quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, James showed that he could serve as a tight end in an NFL offense.

With 2.4 seconds remaining before halftime, guard Rajon Rondo took the basketball and threw it nearly the entire length of the court. James jumped up and snagged it out of the air just outside the three-point line. He immediately landed and passed the ball to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who made a three-point shot at the buzzer.

Instead of taking a four-point deficit into the locker room, the Lakers trailed the Thunder by only one point after two quarters. James and co. ultimately achieved a 130-127 victory, moving their record to 13-2 on the season.

“I’ve been around a lot of great receivers,” former Green Bay Packers safety Mark Murphy said to ESPN in 2009. “I tell people that I rate my top receivers — coaching, playing, or watching — as James Lofton, Jerry Rice, Steve Largent, and LeBron James.”

During his time at St. Vincent-St. Mary high school, James was a first-team all-state wide receiver. Murphy was the defensive coordinator at the time and believed that the future NBA star was one of the greatest receivers he had seen.

However, James did step away from football after breaking his wrist. This ended his immediate prospects of becoming a top college receiver and turning it into an NFL career, but questions have always remained about whether or not he would find success in the league.

Throughout the NFL’s history, there have been multiple players that have successfully transitioned from being basketball players into top offensive weapons. Former Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas found some success in the NFL after playing both basketball and football at Portland State.

Similarly, both Jimmy Graham (Miami) and Antonio Gates (Kent State) were basketball players in college but became dangerous red-zone weapons in the NFL. In fact, Gates spent his entire career with the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers while serving as the top receiving option in the offense. His 116 career touchdowns even rank seventh on the NFL’s all-time list.

There are questions about James’ ability to match the production of Gates, but with his size (6-foot-9-inches, 250 pounds) and athleticism, anything is possible. The play on Friday night just adds another argument.

Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty