Lakers’ LeBron James didn’t quit high school football because of R&B star Aaliyah’s tragic death, per report

LeBron James will move as one of the best gamers to ever go well with up within the NBA however was once in fact a moderately outstanding football star all through his high school days at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. During an look on “NBA Today” on Wednesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst printed that James had in fact determined to quit the football crew after his sophomore yr, however modified his thoughts following the dying of singer Aaliyah.

The acclaimed singer died in a airplane crash again in 2001 when she was once touring from the Bahamas to Florida. She was once 22 years outdated.

“[LeBron James] was going to quit football after his sophomore year, then Aaliyah, one of his favorite singers, died in a plane crash. He decided he wasn’t going to live life scared,” Windhorst mentioned all through the section.

Heading into his junior yr at St. Vincent-St, Mary, James was once going to stroll clear of the gridiron with a purpose to devote his time to his basketball occupation. 

James was once a particularly a success football participant when he was once nonetheless taking part in the game. During his junior yr, the four-time NBA Champion hauled in 60 passes for 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns as a large receiver. James was once even thought to be the No. 1 football prospect within the state of Ohio on the time.

James famously discussed Aaliyah’s affect on him all through his interview with Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl when he made the quilt of the mag as a high schooler. He informed Wahl on the time, “You’re not promised tomorrow. I had to be out on the field with my team.”

In an Instagram post in 2020, James posted a newspaper clipping from his football days. He didn’t finally end up taking part in football in his senior yr of high school and would input the NBA after graduating.

James obviously had the chops to play football at an elite degree and may’ve been extraordinarily productive within the NFL. Still, making an allowance for that he is now the NBA’s all-time main scorer, it is most likely that he made the correct resolution.