This interview — from 2001, featuring a 16-year-old LeBron James and 10TV's Kirk Herbstreit — is making the rounds today, and it should, because it's fantastic.
In it, the prodigious James is still a high school sophomore talking about future conquests of the state tournament. (The goal was four state championships. In the end, they settled for three.)
LeBron was also All-State in football, and Kirk Herbstreit was forced to ask the question any Buckeye fan would have. It set up this hilarious exchange:
KH: What about putting the Scarlet and Grey on and playing at Ohio State football?
LBJ: [Laughter] ... I don't know; I don't know about college football.
KH: You don't want to play college football?
LBJ: Prob—
KH: —You don't want to hurt your body?
LBJ: They hit too hard.
For what it's worth, LeBron has always said he'd play in Columbus if the "one-and-done" rule had existed. He probably would've been pretty good on the gridiron too, but it's hard to argue with his decision.
LeBron and the Cavaliers host the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals tonight on 9 p.m. on ABC. The Cavaliers lead the series, 2-1.
