LeBron James' Son: All About Bronny James and His Relationship With His NBA Star Father

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Jay LaPrete/AP

LeBron Jamesand his firstborn, LeBron “Bronny” James Jr., are officially teammates.

“I need to beon the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” LeBron said in May 2023 when asked about hanging up his jersey. “Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him.”

LeBronshares three childrenwith his wife, Savannah James, whom he wed in 2013. Bronny is the oldest of the James kids; he and his brother, Bryce, who also plays basketball, were born before their parents’ wedding, and their younger sister, Zhuri, joined the family in 2014.

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty

Here’s everything to know about LeBron James' eldest son, Bronny James.

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“This is a historic moment because LeBron and Bronny are the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same time and on the same team,” former Lakers playerMagic Johnsonwrote on X, formerly Twitter.

No matter the team and no matter the salary, LeBron was committed to spending his last NBA season playing on the same team as his oldest kid. During a conversation with The Athletic in 2022, the superstar athlete said he would do “whatever it takes” to make the dream a reality.

“My last year will be played with my son. Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point,” LeBron told the outlet.

LeBron was finally able to hit the court with his son in October 2024, when he and Bronny became the first father and son to ever play in the same NBA game together. After the game, LeBron toldESPNthat playing with his son “means everything.”

“For someone who didn’t have that growing up, to be able to have that influence on your kids and have influence on your son, be able to have moments with your son, and ultimately to be able to work with your son, I think that’s one of the greatest things that a father can ever hope for or wish for,” he said.

The father-son duo made history again when Bronny made hisNBA regular season debutagainst the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22.

Bronny led his high school basketball team to victory against LeBron’s alma mater in 2019

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LeBron was in the stands when he witnessed Bronny andhis team beat St. Vincent-St. Mary High School— LeBron’s alma mater in Akron, Ohio — in the 2019 Scholastic Play By Play Classic.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Bronny scored the winning point for Sierra Canyon School during the game’s final seconds with a lay-up. Sierra came out on top with a 59-56 victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

The proud dad marked the “story book moment” with a heartfeltInstagram post.

While seeing Bronny go up against his alma mater — and win! — was “so eerie” for LeBron, he said it was a “special” time and “meant the world to me to be there in attendance.”

“For @Bronny to play the best game of his young high school career so far, make the biggest play of the game and to walk away winning the MVP in his/our home state and his family and friends was a story book moment,” he said.

Bronny was six months younger than LeBron was when he appeared on his firstSports Illustratedcover

LeBron James Instagram

LeBron isn’t the only athlete in the James household toland on the cover ofSports Illustrated. In July 2021, Bronny appeared alongside his fellow FaZe Clan e-sports teammates on the magazine cover.

“Video games is his thing,” LeBron said of his son, while celebrating Bronny’s latest achievement during aJimmy Kimmel Live!appearance.

Naturally, the impressive feat turned into a bit of a rivalry between the father-son duo when LeBron claimed that he was younger than Bronny when he landed his firstSIcover back in 2002. Eager to prove his dad wrong, Bronny checked the archives.

LeBron recalled to the show’s audience: “When he got on the cover, I was like, ‘You know I was younger than you, right?’ And then he did some research — all these kids got all these phones, which we didn’t have when I was growing up like that — he was like, ‘Dad, no, you were actually six months older than me. Now I’m the youngest guy in the household onSports Illustrated.’ ”

At the time, Bronny was 16 years old. Meanwhile, LeBron was 17 when he graced his firstSIcover donning his St. Vincent-St. Mary high school jersey.

Sam Forencich/NBAE/Getty

LeBron has been with Nike since the start of his pro career. The proud dad welcomed his son into the Nike family via a celebratory post onInstagram, writing, “The Legacy Continues On!! Congrats Young King!!”

LeBron and Bronny played in the McDonald’s All American Game 20 years apart

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In March 2023, Bronny followed his father when he was named one of the 24 male athletes nationwide to befeatured in the McDonald’s Annual All American Game.

The highly respected showcase took place at the Toyota Center in Houston. Representing team West, Bronny scored 15 points in the exhibition game; however team East ultimately won with a three-point victory, perThe Sporting News. In honor of his dad, Bronnywore a number 23 jersey.

LeBron, who played in the all-star game himself in 2003, shared with fans his son’s big news onInstagram.

“Ayyyyyyyeeeeee @bronny!!!!!! Congratulations Son! So damn proud of you!” LeBron wrote underneath a screenshot of team West’s player lineup. “Continue to be you through it all no matter what!! You’re truly AMAZING!!! #JamesGang👑 .”

LeBron and Bronny are each other’s biggest fans

Roberto Koltun/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service/Getty

LeBron and Bronny have relished in a lot of successes over the years, both as individual players and as a father-son duo. LeBron had a crazy run during the 2022-2023 NBA season, which Bronny had a front-row seat to. Not only did he become the first NBA player to ever reach 10,000 points in rebounds and assists, but LeBron also became thehighest-scoring NBA player of all timein February 2023.

During a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron scored his 38,388th point, edgingKareem Abdul-Jabbarout of the record-holder position. Bronny, who caught LeBron’s historic shot on camera, joined his dad on the court to celebrate.

“Tonight I actually felt like I was sitting on top of the arena tonight when that shot went in and the roar from the arena, from the crowd,” LeBron told reporters post-game. “Everything just stopped and gave me an opportunity to embrace it and look around.”

LeBron also rallied his family together to cheer on Bronny athis senior nightat Sierra Canyon. The budding star had the pleasure of sharing the court with his younger brother who also plays for Sierra Canyon, while their parents and younger sister watched from the bleachers. Bronny had another high-scoring night and reunited with his family afterward for photos.

Bronny played basketball for USC

In May 2023, Bronny announced his decision to attendUSC.

“Fight On ✌🏾 #committed,” Bronnysaid in his caption. The newly minted college athlete included a photo of himself sporting his Sierra Canyon School jersey in the Trojans’ locker room. His post racked up more than 2 million likes and remarks from USC alumni, including Nick Young.

He continued, “Obviously, his dad didn’t go to school. His mom didn’t go to college. My mom maybe stepped on campus for a little bit, maybe a community college or something, but she had [me] running around, so she couldn’t spend much time in the classroom. It’s very, very, very, very exciting, very humbling and a great moment for our family.”

In June 2023, the USC men’s basketball X account (formerly Twitter)shared a photoof Bronny in his red and gold basketball jersey. The photo revealed that the college student chose to wear No. 6 — his dad’s number.

While on his podcastMind Over Game,LeBron admitted that it’s “hard” to watch Bronny play college basketball.

“It is hard watching a 40-minute college basketball game.It’s hard. I get more anxiety and I sweat more watching college basketball, especially my son now, than I’ve ever done in my life,” he said.

Bronny suffered from cardiac arrest in July 2023

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In July 2023, Bronnysuffered from cardiac arrestduring a basketball practice at USC.

The following day, a representative for the James family released a statement explaining, “Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU.”

The representative added, “LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes.”

Bronny was discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center that same week and, on July 28, was spottedenjoying a night outwith his family.

In August 2023, a spokesperson for the James family said they were “very confident inBronny’s full recoveryand return to basketball in the very near future.”

Bronny eventually made hisUSC basketball debutin December 2023, and his dad was seen cheering proudly from the sidelines.

“Can’t even tell y’all how EMOTIONAL today was for me! I’m literally drained and all I can say is @bronny you’re simply INCREDIBLE!!” LeBron wrote onInstagramfollowing his son’s first game with the Trojans. “Proud of you kid and today you’ve given me more life! Thank you and I love you.”

Bronny joined his dad and brother on a 2022 issue ofSports Illustrated

Jeffery Salter/Sports Illustrated/Getty

For the magazine’s August issue in 2022,LeBron posed alongside his sonsBronny and Bryce. The headline read “Chosen Sons,” a nod to LeBron’s 2002SIcover that famously gave him the nickname “The Chosen One.”

Albeit, LeBron said that at the end of the day it comes down to whether his mind and body are up for the challenge. “I feel like I could play for quite a while,” he said. “So it’s all up to my body, but more importantly, my mind.”

LeBron added, “If my mind can stay sharp and fresh and motivated, then the sky’s not even a limit for me,” LeBron added. “I can go beyond that. But we shall see.”

source: people.com