In a recent episode of the “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast, NBA legend LeBron James spoke about the time he contemplated pursuing a career in the NFL during the 2011 NBA lockout.

“I was uncertain about when we would finalize an agreement with the owners and return to play,” James explained during the podcast with the Kelce brothers, who, like him, are originally from northeast Ohio. “At that time, I actually considered it for a moment. I was still young enough to think about playing professionally. However, that was the only period when I seriously thought about it.”

At 40 years old, James was an exceptional wide receiver during his time at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He revealed that Ohio State had offered him the opportunity to participate in both basketball and football, but he opted to stop playing football following his junior year.

“My close friend back then, Sian Cotton, went on to play football at Ohio State. … I could have shared a room with him, played football in the fall, and basketball in the winter and spring, which would have been amazing.”

Ultimately, James chose to skip college and entered the NBA as the first overall pick in the 2003 draft.

When asked for a player comparison, James said, “I would probably say I’m like a blend of Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) and Randy Moss to some extent, but he’s significantly smaller than me. He’s faster but not as big. In terms of build, I match up with Megatron (Calvin Johnson). I also admire Tony Gonzalez for his size and his basketball background; I always enjoyed his celebrations when he dunked on the goal post.”

James was questioned on what he thinks is more challenging: an NFL player transitioning to the NBA or vice versa. “I’ve been following people’s opinions on this,” he responded, “and I’d say it’s likely easier for a basketball player to try out for the NFL than the other way around.”

He also noted that if he were to choose which NBA player could most easily transition to the NFL, it would be Russell Westbrook or Anthony Edwards.

It’s evident from his social media activity and this podcast appearance that James is a passionate football fan. “I do my best to catch as many NFL games as possible, along with college and high school games,” he mentioned.

Demonstrating his NFL knowledge, James commented on injuries, player trades, and athletes who were either thriving or facing challenges in the league.

The Kelce brothers playfully teased James about the NFL versus NBA Christmas Day matchups, to which James conceded, “From a viewership perspective, you all completely outdid us.”

Stay updated with NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt