LeBron James is back for another NBA season, and this time, he's suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers. At this stage, he's seen just about everything the league can throw at him, obviously, but one constant throughout the ride has been his wife, Savannah James.
She's been there since long before the championships, the spotlight and the full life that comes with being one of basketball's biggest names.
Their relationship began when they were teenagers in Ohio, years before either could have known how their lives would unfold. LeBron and Savannah have built a life together that goes beyond the game, and it's one that includes a full family.
As James starts his life with the 76ers, here's a look inside the couple's relationship.
LeBron James and wife Savannah: A High School Connection Turned Into Something Lasting
Savannah met LeBron when she was 16 and attending a rival high school. In a 2018 talk with Cleveland Magazine, she explained that they were introduced through mutual friends. LeBron initially asked someone for her phone number, but Savannah ended up getting his and deciding to reach out herself, making that first move.
"One day I'm sitting around-I was probably bored or something-and I'm like, 'Oh, I forgot! I have this number for this guy that I can call. He seemed interested, so let's see,'" she said in the interview with the publication.
LeBron invited her to watch him play, and they later hung out with friends at Applebee's. Their first proper date followed a few weeks later at Outback Steakhouse. Savannah told Harper's Bazaar that an unexpected gesture stuck with her: "I knew he loved me when I left my leftovers from dinner in his car." He brought the food back to her, giving himself another reason to see her.
The couple welcomed their sons, Bronny and Bryce, in 2004 and 2007.
By New Year's Eve 2011, LeBron was ready to make their commitment official, proposing to Savannah at a party. Speaking with Oprah Winfrey, he actually compared the experience to "a finals game."
"I had been thinking about it, you know, for a while but it just came to me one day and I was like, 'This is a part of growth for me,'" he said. "She's been there for a long time and I wanted her to continue to be there with me," he explained, describing why the moment felt right.
A Wedding and a Growing Family for the Philadelphia 76ers Star
LeBron and Savannah married on September 14, 2013, celebrating over three days. So, yes, this wasn't your typical wedding. Their daughter, Zhuri, arrived in 2014, completing their family of five.
Today, their family has another connection to the league. Bronny, of course, played one season at USC before the Los Angeles Lakers selected him 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. So, as LeBron embarks on another season in a different uniform, Savannah remains a huge part of the story that began long before his NBA journey.
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