LeBron James is one of the greatest of all time, but he did not have an easy childhood. Growing up in Akron, Ohio, The King was raised by a single mother, Gloria James, who struggled to make ends meet. That coupled with the absence of his father made life tough. Nevertheless, they pulled through and now are reaping the rewards of their hard work.
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That being said, not having a father around was difficult. After all, not only was his biological father out of his life, but he was also nowhere in the picture during LeBron’s formative years. But, who is Anthony McClelland? What does he do? Where is he now? And, does he have any relationship with his superstar son?
Who is LeBron James’ father, Anthony McClelland?
Anthony McClelland, LeBron’s biological father, has not had a very prominent role in his life. There are few specifics about Anthony’s whereabouts and his connection to LeBron.
LeBron James was born when Anthony and Gloria were teenagers, and they fought to keep a solid marriage together. LeBron’s relationship with Anthony was sadly sporadic, and he eventually left when LeBron was still a little child.
The King hasn’t extensively explored their relationship in public, so it’s unclear when he last spoke to his father, Anthony. However, it is clear that his life was significantly impacted by Anthony’s absence during his formative years. In a past interview, LeBron referenced his biological father and lamented the lack of a male role model in his life.
“I didn’t have a dad growing up, and my mother was my everything. It was tough not having that male figure in my life, but it made me appreciate the role of a father even more.”
It is true that the absence of his father did have an adverse effect on Bron. But, contrary to his previous comments, he did have some significant male figures in his life growing up. In particular, his mother’s ex, Eddie Jackson.
Gloria James’ ex, Eddie Jackson played a big role in LeBron’s life
LeBron found Eddie Jackson to be a strong father figure in the absence of his biological father. Eddie, who started dating Gloria when LeBron was barely a child, developed into a significant influence in LeBron’s life and assumed the role of a father. LeBron received his support, stability, and direction from him throughout his youth.
LeBron frequently refers to Eddie as his “father figure” or “dad” and acknowledges the enormous contribution he has made to his growth on both a personal and professional level.
Learned last night: LeBron pays for apartment for father-figure Eddie Jackson, and Jackson has told friends he doesn’t want to leave Akron.
— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) July 2, 2010
Unfortunately, despite this, Jackson was a felon, and apparently even helped out LeBron and his family with money he earned by running a real-estate fraud. But, his role in King James’ life was immense and regardless of what happened, there can be no denying that he played a role in making Bron the man he is today.
