LeBron James’ son follows dad to the NBA: What to know about his kids

LeBron James’ son follows dad to the NBA: What to know about his kids

"King James" is a proud father of three.

ByYi-Jin Yu

June 28, 2024, 12:37 PM

After the Los Angeles Lakers drafted USC's Bronny James on June 27, the spotlight on the James family has shone even brighter.

LeBron James might be the NBA's leading scorer of all time but when he's not on the court, the basketball great and Lakers forward is also a proud father of three children, whom he shares with his wife Savannah James.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Moda Center, Jan. 22, 2023, in Portland.Steph Chambers/Getty Images

The Akron, Ohio, native has said he takes fatherhood seriously, having grown up without his own dad being present in his life, and prioritizes being present with his kids.

And although two of his kids – both of his sons – have followed him onto the basketball court, the elder James said he doesn't pressure them to play the team sport.

"I've always let them just see if they had a love for [basketball]. Because, at the end of the day, nothing is going to come to fruition if you're just doing it because you feel like it's what your parents are doing. Nah, it's going to fizzle out too fast," James told "Sports Illustrated" in a 2022 cover interview with his sons.

Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James pats the back of USC Trojans guard Bronny James before the game against the Long Beach State 49ers in Los Angeles Dec. 10, 2023.Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Get to know James and his family below.

Savannah James

Savannah James and NBA player LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers attend a game between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces, June 15, 2024, in Las Vegas.Ethan Miller/Getty Images

LeBron James and Savannah James first met and started dating as teenagers in Akron, when he was a St. Vincent-St. Mary High School basketball star and she was a softball player for Buchtel High School.

The couple welcomed their first child in 2004 and their second in 2007 before they married in 2013. Their third child, their only daughter, was born in 2014.

Bronny James, LeBron James, Zhuri James, and Bryce James attend the 2023 ESPY Awards, July 12, 2023, in Hollywood, Calif.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Bronny James

Bronny James of the USC Trojans handles the ball in the first half of a first-round game against the Washington Huskies during the Pac-12 Conference basketball tournament. Mar. 13, 2024, in Las Vegas.David Becker/Getty Images

The James' eldest child, LeBron Raymone "Bronny" James Jr., is named after his famous father. In an episode of the talk show "The Shop: Uninterrupted," the Lakers star revealed it was his son who changed his first name to Bronny and is determined to make a name for himself.

The elder James also said he wants to play against his firstborn in the NBA and after Bronny James was selected by the Lakers on June 27 in the second round of the NBA draft, the two James men could make history as the first father-son duo to compete in the NBA together.

Bronny James wrapped his freshman season as a guard for the University of Southern California Trojans and according to his official college athletics biography, he also likes to play video games, go snowboarding and play the piano and violin, when he's not on the court.

In July 2023, Bronny James was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac arrest while at a USC basketball practice session. He was later discharged and a family spokesperson revealed the rising basketball star's health scare was likely due to a congenital heart defect.

Bryce James

Bryce James talks to his dad, LeBron James, after the Sierra Canyon vs King Drew boys' basketball game at Sierra Canyon High School, November 16, 2022, in Chatsworth, Calif.Cassy Athena/Getty Images

Like his father and older brother before him, Bryce Maximus James, the second of the James kids, is a basketball player. The 11th grader currently plays for the boys' basketball team at Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, California, the same team his brother Bronny played for and which their father sponsors.

In the 2022 "Sports Illustrated" interview, James expressed hope about playing professionally with both of his sons in the future.

"I feel like I could play for quite a while. So it's all up to my body, but more importantly, my mind," James said at the time. "If my mind can stay sharp and fresh and motivated, then the sky's not even a limit for me. I can go beyond that. But we shall see."

Zhuri Nova James

LeBron James, Bryce James, Zhuri James, Savannah James, and Bronny James attend the 2023 ESPY Awards, July 12, 2023, in Hollywood, Calif.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Zhuri is the youngest of the James children and was born in 2014.

James celebrated his daughter's birthday in an October tribute post, calling her his "princess."

"Happy Bday My Princess 👸🏾 Z!! Love you ♾️ and more!!!" the doting dad wrote in the caption.

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