We're much closer to the end of LeBron James' NBA career than we are to the beginning, but that doesn't mean he'll leave the world of sports altogether.
While we know James has an ownership stake in multiple franchises with the potential to add more, maybe there's a world in which he explores competing in a different athletic field. According to a recent Instagram story, a return to the gridiron could be in store for the four-time NBA MVP.
Inspired by Arkansas WR Monte Harrison, James took to Instagram to joke about retiring from the NBA to play some college football. And as all good jokes contain some truth, it's worth going back into James' football history to understand why the aspiration isn't actually that far-fetched.
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LeBron James jokes about playing college football
With the start of college football quickly approaching, James took to Instagram to share a post of Harrison on his story.
Under the post, which read, "29-year-old freshman wide receiver was in MLB two years ago," James wrote, "Me when I retire from the league! Haha!"
To add to it, James included a thinking emoji.
"Me when I retire from the league!"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 16, 2024
LeBron James' IG story jokes about playing college football whenever his NBA playing days are done 😅 pic.twitter.com/CEEZfoI99O
While James has earned nearly a half-billion dollars during his 21-year NBA career, he very likely may still have eligibility to play football collegiately. James still has amateur status as a football player.
In recent years, James' former teammate, J.R. Smith, returned to college to play golf after enjoying a 16-year NBA career. It's unclear when James plans to retire from the NBA but he will turn 40 in December.
While James is a trailblazer in many ways, maybe he could follow the path blazed by former South Carolina State Bulldog Joe Thomas Sr., who, at 55 years old, became the oldest football player in Division 1 history during the 2016 season.
Given James' athleticism, is this really outside the realm of possibility?
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Did LeBron James play football?
It's been over 20 years but James was a standout WR at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
While he only played during his sophomore and junior seasons, James averaged over 20 yards per catch and scored 23 touchdowns. He earned all-state selections in both seasons and was even recruited by major college programs, including Notre Dame.
James' stats and highlights illustrate just how good he was on the football field.
| Season | Catches | Yards | Touchdowns |
| Sophomore | 46 | 905 | 7 |
| Junior | 57 | 1,160 | 16 |
| Total | 103 | 2,065 | 23 |
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Who is Monte Harrison?
Harrison is a 29-year-old freshman wide receiver at the University of Arkansas.
A member of the 2014 recruiting class, Harrison committed to play football at Nebraska but was also selected 50th overall by the Brewers in the 2014 MLB Draft. He opted to begin his professional baseball career rather than play college football.
Most notably, Harrison was one of the prospects in the 2018 trade that sent Christian Yelich from Miami to Milwaukee. Yelich would be named MVP 10 months later.
Harrison's MLB debut came in 2020 and he appeared in 50 games with the Marlins and Angels over three seasons. In May 2024, Harrison committed to play for Arkansas and will resume his football career during the 2024 season.
