Los Angeles Lakers starter LeBron James considered quitting football after his sophomore year in high school. But after the tragic death of his “favorite singer,” Aaliyah, in 2001, James decided he “wasn’t going to do it,” NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported to NBA Today on Wednesday. A life of fear.”
“You know why he plays football? Because of Aaliyah,” Windhorst said. “So, Aaliyah’s pass took him off the sideline.”
In August 2001, when James was a junior in high school, 22-year-old Aaliyah was killed along with eight other passengers in a plane crash in the Bahamas.
James skipped the start of football season his junior year. I missed the first game but played the second game with no practice, no training camp.
“He played 12 games, had 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns and was one of the greatest receivers in school history,” Windhorst reported.
Windhorst’s denial of James’ junior season numbers actually isn’t that impressive. The Lakers star racked up 1,160 yards and 16 touchdowns and received recruiting interest from big-name programs like Ohio State and Notre Dame, according to Sporting News.
He was the football coach at St. Vincent-St. Louis High School. Mary High School senior Jay Brophy told Bleacher Report that despite the increased attention on these sports, James remains focused on basketball.
“I walked up to him, he was in the library, and I said, ‘LeBron, hey, let me ask you, are you really interested in playing college football? I’ve had a lot of schools ask you about playing, have you given I called,” Brophy said. “He said, ‘Well, coach, I’m 99 percent sure I’m probably going to go to the NBA. But I’m not going to rule it out.’
“He started laughing and said, ‘No, coach, I’m kidding. I’m going to play basketball.’ I said, ‘Well, I just wanted to know.’ “
James’ football career ended after his junior year, and the basketball star spent his senior year preparing for the NBA. After graduation, James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. Now, entering season 21, James has four NBA MVPs and four NBA championships on his resume, making him the greatest basketball player of all time.