Growing up in one of the most famous families in sports comes with challenges that only a few parents have had to deal with. Savannah James and LeBron James are one of them, and they have handled that responsibility despite the fame and global attention. They have always tried to raise their children as normally as possible.
Appearing on the latest episode of the Angie Martinez IRL podcast, Savannah explained that there was never a blueprint for raising three kids under the spotlight.
“I grew up middle class. I have siblings, but I’m the youngest by 11 years, so it was kind of a ‘yours, mine, ours’ situation. There was a lot of sharing, but I was definitely the baby. For me, my family was always my foundation. Being in Ohio and having them around helped so much with raising our kids. I was also really young. I had no idea what I was doing. But I do think there was a certain level of keeping things normal that worked for us.”
“A lot of that came from the way LeBron and I showed up at home. Of course, we had security because of the world we live in, but outside of that, we tried to move around and live as normally as possible.”
“For us, no cell phones before 13. I’m negotiating a little with Zhuri because she’s the baby. Maybe she gets one at 12. We’ll see. But I think 13 is a good age because kids have a better understanding of the responsibility that comes with having a phone. Our boys got phones at 13, but they weren’t allowed to have social media until they turned 15.”
“When Bronny finally got social media, we sat there and watched his account blow up. It was crazy. I remember thinking, ‘See, this is exactly why.’ He wasn’t ready for that two years earlier. It was just too much.”
It’s an insightful glimpse into how the James family has tried to shield their children from pressures that most teenagers never experience.
Bronny and Bryce have both followed their father’s footsteps into basketball, while Zhuri has already built a strong public following and is trying her hand at volleyball. But Savannah and LeBron have kept rules in place and not rushed their children into the spotlight.
Those values have also shaped LeBron and Savannah’s relationship over the years.
The couple have been together since high school in Akron, Ohio, and have spent more than two decades building a family. They welcomed Bronny in 2004, Bryce in 2007, and Zhuri in 2014 before getting married in 2013.
Savannah also shared a story on the same podcast about LeBron’s surprise proposal on New Year’s Eve in Miami in 2011. She claimed she had no idea that it was coming as she turned around to find LeBron on one knee.
Over the years, LeBron has repeatedly credited Savannah as one of the biggest reasons for his success. LeBron has said he wouldn’t be in this position without her support. They have built one of basketball’s most successful families that is grounded in discipline and clear values.
These rules might seem strict to some, but judging by how Bronny, Bryce, and Zhuri have grown up under extraordinary pressure, Savannah and LeBron’s approach has certainly given their children strong morals despite never having a normal life.
