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Gooden says a young LeBron once claimed he could survive a plane crash

Fernando Medina / National Basketball Association / Getty

The deeper we get into LeBron James' historic career, the more astounded we are with every year that goes by in which The King miraculously avoids a major injury.

Even as a young man entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers, James must have had an inkling that he'd be impervious to pain.

During an appearance on ESPN's "Highly Questionable" on Wednesday, former Cavalier Drew Gooden recounted a turbulent plane ride where James told his teammates he could survive a potential plane crash simply by jumping out with pillows stuffed in his jacket.

As much of a cyborg James was, is, and will presumably be until he retires, that particular crash-survival strategy is extremely flawed, and could only end one way.

Knock on wood that he'll never have to put it to the test.

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