“I never thought about my father”: When LeBron James detailed his distant relationship with his estranged father to legendary Larry King

Amulya Shekhar | 24/01/2021
"I never thought about my father": When LeBron James detailed his distant relationship with his estranged father to legendary Larry King

We look back at the time when LeBron James was interviewed by Larry King prior to his move to the Miami Heat from the Cavs.

LeBron James and Larry King are two names that are now ingrained in the American public consciousness. Larry King was a true legend of broadcasting. A man active as a broadcaster for roughly three-fourths of his entire life, King was an interviewer par excellence.

One of his most illuminating interviews ever was with the hottest name in basketball. James was at the athletic peak of his career, but he hadn’t been to the NBA Finals in 3 years. Speculation about his next destination was all over NBA forums.

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When LeBron James talked about his relationship with his father in an interview with Larry King

For anyone who’s had to live a childhood without a parent, it’s a touchy subject to talk about. LeBron James was no different. Born to a teenage mother and leading his entire life with an absent father, James has become a model citizen.

James spelled out to King that he never had any interest in meeting his dad. He didn’t even ask his mom why his father wasn’t around till a certain age:

“I never thought about my father. She (Gloria James) was doing everything that I could ever dream of. It was times where Christmas would come around and my birthday would come around, and I’d think I may have one or two presents or I may not get anything because I understand the struggle, and it’ll be a floor full of stuff. There was no reason for me to even ask, ‘mom, where is my father’ because she was doing it all.”

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It should suffice to say that James is an excellent parent who’s giving his kids the best possible life. LeBron fits the description of the perfect father better than most celebrities have – Dwight Howard is a case in point.

Post Edited By: Amulya Shekhar
LeBron James

About the author

Amulya Shekhar

Amulya Shekhar is a sports junkie who thrives on the thrills and frills of live sports action across basketball, football (the American variant works too), parkour, adventure sports. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically.

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