NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe is among the biggest supporters of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
But only on the basketball court, apparently.
Sharpe, speaking with NFL players Travis and Jason Kelce on their New Heights podcast, cited LeBron’s inability to get off a press as the main reason why he couldn’t hack it as a tight end at the game’s highest levels.
“[Heck] no! He don’t know how to get off press,” Sharpe said. “They’re gonna press him. You’d be foolish not to press him. Because he’s gonna jump over top of you and catch it.”
James last played organized football as a high school sophomore for St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School in Akron, Ohio. He was one of the top football prospects in the state due to his blend of size and athleticism.
Former quarterback Chris Wooley told Bleacher Report about James’ prowess in 2017.
“If I got it within a 10- to 15-yard radius, he was catching the ball.” Wooley said. “I have several buddies to this day that said I probably threw to him too much. I would argue that I didn’t throw to him enough.”
It’s impossible to say how LeBron would have fared had he concentrated on football instead of basketball. Maybe he would have learned to beat a press.
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