Lakers' Dalton Knecht spotlights LeBron James' deep NFL love and Madden addiction

As a rookie, Dalton Knecht has much to learn from a decorated superstar like LeBron James. While the LA Lakers rookie has likely picked up some tips and tricks from the four-time MVP, he also seemed to have found out about one of James' habits.

Knecht appears to have taken an interest in just how much James enjoys football. In fact, Knecht was quoted by ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin, who talked about how much football-related media the 20-time NBA All-Star consumes. Aside from watching the NFL, he also seems to be quite hooked on Madden.

According to Knecht, James' attention is on the NFL quite often.

"He always talks about it," Knecht said. "I didn’t really know it was that much. He watches it on the plane and stuff. He watches film just like it’s basketball. It’s crazy."

It's no secret that James enjoys football. He has been seen attending some games. He even sometimes shares which teams he thinks would win ahead of the weekly NFL matchups.

Additionally, he played football in high school. He was a wide receiver for St. Vincent-St. Mary's, and he even received interest from some Division I schools. However, he ultimately chose basketball and made the jump to play in the NBA immediately after high school.

In fact, he referenced his past as a football player when he was asked about teams playing him with intense physicality. On Thursday, he stated that physical play needs to be matched.

"I'm a football player so I don't mind physicality to be honest," James said.

While he chose to play basketball, his love for football becomes evident at times. Something that Knecht has learned in his short time around James.

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LeBron James claims that the NBA has ownership of Christmas Day over the NFL

The NFL and the NBA can sometimes be compared to each other, seeing as how they are two of the four major professional sports in the country. One of the ways that these two leagues have been compared is which one is more viewed during the holiday seasons.

Following the Lakers-Warriors Christmas Day matchup on Wednesday, LeBron James shared his opinion on which league owns Christmas. James spoke with Lisa Salters for a quick postgame interview. This is how he wrapped up that interview:

"Merry Christmas to my family back home, I'm coming home." James said. "And I love the NFL, I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day." (1:25-1:33)

LeBron James and the Lakers had an exciting battle against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. The game came down to the wire as both teams exchanged baskets in crunch time. In the game's closing moments, guard Austin Reaves drove to the basket and hit a lay-up to give LA a two-point victory (115-113).