Imagining a different universe, LeBron James may be the best basketball player ever. Assume James never played basketball. His stature, quickness, hand-eye coordination, and intelligence would have allowed him to succeed in another sport. Which one?

Maybe football? James, an All-State wide receiver at St. Vincent-St. Mary, was tough to defend in the red zone due to his stature and leaping abilities. Soccer, anyone? His extraordinary reflexes and physical traits would have made him a great goaltender.

When given this question, James surprised by saying lacrosse.

James: “I’d be a beast on the field.” “It’s fast, it’s physical, I’ve got pretty good accuracy when it comes to things.” James never played lacrosse competitively, and while he is a solid basketball player, his precision has never been a strength. Through 21 NBA seasons, James has made 34.4% of his 3-point shots and 73.5% of his free throws. Neither number is bad, but he’s no Stephen Curry.

Naturally, James is a great basketball passer, which may be his intent. After enough lacrosse stick practice, James’ athleticism and vision would shine. Professional lacrosse players average little under 6-1. At 6-8, James could see things most guys couldn’t.

James’ lacrosse potential was never realized. Seeing why is easy. Average lacrosse player salary is $64,000. This season, James will make just about $48 million in compensation. This is an interesting possibility, but James has no regrets about choosing basketball over lacrosse.