Vinicius Jr. is one of the best footballers in the world, but he is also a big fan of basketball and the NBA. Recently, the Real Madrid forward spoke in an interview about his meeting with LeBron James.

Football and basketball don’t necessarily share a lot in common in terms of rules, but the two environments meet quite often. Because while the round ball is not very popular across the Atlantic, in Europe, basketball fans are becoming more and more numerous. Vinicius Jr. is not originally from the Old Continent, but he plays it and also regularly follows NBA news .

This summer, for example, we were able to see the Real Madrid superstar having a good time on the field with Jaylen Brown. Last December, the Brazilian even took a little tour of the United States to attend matches . He was able to meet LeBron James , among others. In a recent interview with the New York Times , he then spoke about this moment.

Vinicius Jr. gets candid about meeting LeBron

I was so nervous, anxious, and at the same time I didn’t want him to come so I wouldn’t have to express what I was feeling at that moment. God willing, I too could play as long as he did.

While LeBron is recognized by virtually everyone as one of the greatest basketball players in history, he is also renowned for his longevity and almost supernatural consistency.

At nearly 40, the Lakers’ star forward is the oldest player in the league. Vinicius Jr. aspires to such a career, but according to the four-time MVP, his influence extends beyond sports.

A lot of these athletes have been fascinated by the way I play and how I’ve managed to stay at this level. But they’re even more fascinated by the way I’ve managed to run my business and handle things off the field.

The Madrilenian became a fan of LBJ at the age of 12. He says that his uncle would take him to see some of his games when he was still living in Brazil. The Chosen One’s Lakers jersey is also the best-selling in the country, a 5-time world champion. The Sao Gonçalo native was even lucky enough to have one signed by the former Cavs player in exchange for his own during their last meeting.

Vinicius Jr.’s style of play on the green turf may suggest that he doesn’t know the pressure, but when it comes to meeting one of his idols, namely LeBron James, the footballer becomes anxious. That said, he hopes to have the same longevity as the King.