If LeBron James' sons follow in their father's footsteps and become two-sport stars in high school, they'll be doing it with a different combination than their old man.
ESPN's Chris Broussard learned in a conversation with the four-time NBA MVP that he does not allow his kids, 9-year-old LeBron Jr. and 7-year-old Bryce, to set foot on the gridiron.
I was surprised Friday when LeBron told me he doesn't let his sons play football. Only basketball, baseball & soccer in his house.
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) November 10, 2014
James had similar words last year for the Associated Press:
"No football," James said then. "Soccer."
James, a first-team all-state wide receiver in high school, has said (perhaps jokingly) that he'd like to play one NFL game.
His sons, however, will be sticking with basketball. James didn't specify a reason for the decision, but it could have something to do with the high risk of concussions and other serious injuries in football.
This isn't to say the James boys aren't watching football, and LeBron has been sure to pass his fandom along to the next generation. Shortly after announcing he would be returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, James brought his boys to Browns practice.
James isn't the only parent to steer his child away from football. According to ESPN's Outside the Lines, participation in Pop Warner football between 2010 and 2012 dropped a staggering 10 percent.
Considering how much promise James' sons have shown on the court, perhaps its best they focus on basketball: