Being the world’s best player at any sport requires sacrifices of all sorts by that person. Luckily for LeBron James, Savannah makes it easy to focus on basketball instead of his kids Bronny, Bryce, and Zhuri. During an episode of ‘The Shop: Uninterrupted,’ LeBron revealed why he would pick basketball over his kids and how his wife played a role in it.
Advertisement
It goes without saying that King James has set otherworldly expectations for every other basketball prospect after him. He’s set the gold standard for sustained excellence that may be impossible for anyone in the future to overcome.
However, James couldn’t have reached this pinnacle of sporting success without a stout support system. Chief among the people in his life is his wife Savannah, who’s been the boss of the James household.
Savannah’s insistence on being the caring mom and wife that she is has allowed James to focus fully on basketball excellence, and the King is extremely thankful to his partner for allowing him to indulge in his sport without interference.
LeBron James credits Savannah James with allowing him the freedom to focus fully on basketball
King James appeared on The Shop: Uninterrupted Show alongside the likes of Lisa Leslie, PJ Tucker, and Draymond Green last year. In a segment where Lisa was asked about her insistence on placing her family above her basketball career, LeBron was asked a similar question.
James credited the influence of his wife for being able to place basketball above everything else in his life. But he also laid out the fact that he’d give up on basketball to ‘set his family straight’, if needed:
“I mean, not having Savannah…as long as Savannah’s in the nest, that’s my lady. I feel like because she is the s**t with the kids, I wouldn’t pick my kids to stop playing ball. But I will stop ball to make sure my kids are straight. So it is a medium when it comes to that.”
LeBron: “So if I’m doing something – I’m playing ball or I’m training or even if it’s a game or something, and we get a phone call, if Ramos gets a phone call and they come up from behind the bench and say ‘Hey, Zhuri is…’, I’m sorry, I gotta go. Cuz family is everything.”
James continued: “The game of basketball has given me everything and more than I could ever dream of. But the engine doesn’t move unless the family’s straight. That’s how I move.”
LeBron could conceivably end up playing in the NBA with his son
Despite his extremely hectic NBA schedule and offseason commitments, James has been an impeccable mentor for his sons. As expected of them, Bronny and Bryce have chosen to pursue basketball as their career path.
Bronny will be playing his freshman season of college basketball for USC this year. The 6’3″ guard has been projected as one of the best defenders in his high school class, with ESPN projecting him to be a possible lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
James has stated in the past that his sole remaining aim in the NBA is to take the floor with his son. And Bronny might very well allow this dream to come true.
