LeBron James (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys narrowly missed the playoffs in 2011, but could that have changed with the presence of the greatest basketball player of this generation?
There have been a lot of what-if scenarios floating through the brains of sports fans while we wait for the leagues to resume games, but the Dallas Cowboys just presented one that is quite fascinating. In a recent interview, LeBron James admitted he considered playing for the Cowboys during the 2011 lockout.
It is unclear if James would have given up basketball or attempted to play both sports once the lockout ended, but James indicated he began working out to explore the possibility of playing football. James was actually a star football player at St. Vincent-St. Mary high school and was recruited by the likes of Notre Dame and Ohio State before going pro in the NBA.
There have always been proposals that James’ frame would make him an ideal wide receiver or tight end so adding him to the Cowboys’ skill position group in 2011 would have been fascinating. Dallas already had Dez Bryant and Miles Austin at receiver while Jason Witten was in his prime at tight end, so having James in the slot could make things very interesting for Tony Romo.
Having James on the roster would have certainly made the Cowboys a better team, but it probably wouldn’t have been enough to help Dallas reach the playoffs. The Cowboys’ fatal flaws down the stretch were on defense, particularly in losses to the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles down the stretch.
There is also a strong possibility that James may have been out of the mix by that point since the NBA’s own lockout that year ended on Dec. 8, meaning he would have needed to report to training camp for the Miami Heat. A lot wouldn’t have changed if James played for the Cowboys in 2011, but it would have been very interesting to see King James on a football field with a star on his helmet.