LeBron James‘ eldest son, Bronny James, is following in his dad’s basketball-playing footsteps — and he’s already on his way to superstardom.
Born in 2004, Bronny’s athletic skills started attracting attention when he was just 10 years old. By the time he started high school at Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles, national interest in him was so high that ESPN started broadcasting his team’s games.
LeBron, however, remained protective of his son, barring him from interviews during his freshman year. Bronny, meanwhile, said that his famous father hadn’t pushed him into the sport.
“I was born into it, so I feel like the path was already chosen,” Bronny told Sports Illustrated in August 2022. “But my dad is cool enough to let me take whatever path I want if I wanted to not pursue basketball. But I think basketball is going to be my thing, for sure.”
Shortly after committing to college at the University of Southern California, Bronny was rushed to the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during a workout with the USC team. “Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital,” a spokesperson for the James family told Us Weekly in July 2023. “He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information.” Bronny was discharged from the hospital days later.
LeBron shares Bronny, son Bryce (born in 2007) and daughter Zhuri (born in 2014) with wife Savannah James, whom he wed in 2013 after first meeting in high school.
Keep scrolling for everything LeBron has said about Bronny’s basketball ambitions:
Always Here for Him
“He has my support and my blueprint,” LeBron said during a December 2021 press conference when asked about Bronny’s NBA prospects. “With health and a little bit of luck, [the NBA] would be the ultimate thing.”
Side by Side
In February 2022, LeBron first floated the idea of one day playing alongside his son in the NBA. “My last year will be played with my son,” he told The Athletic at the time. “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.”
Keeping It Casual
During a cover story interview with Sports Illustrated, LeBron emphasized that he tries not to put pressure on his kids when it comes to basketball. “We don’t even really talk about the future too much,” he explained. “I put it in the air because I like to talk to the basketball gods out there and see if things can come to fruition. I’ve always set out goals in my career, talked to the basketball gods and they’ve listened to all of them. Hopefully they can listen to this last one, too.”
He added that he never told Bronny and Bryce to play basketball, instead letting them choose the sport for themselves. “I’ve always let them just see if they had a love for [basketball],” LeBron said. “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.”
NBA Dreams
“I need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” LeBron told ESPN in January 2023. “Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him. I don’t mean like [guarding one another all game] — because he’s a point guard and … now I’m playing center or whatever the team needs from me. But I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and [Ken Griffey] Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure.”
LeBron went on to say that he and Bronny don’t actively discuss the possibility of playing side by side, but Bronny has said he wants to go pro. “I ask him what are his aspirations, and he says he wants to play in the NBA,” LeBron explained. “So, if he wants do to it, he’s got to put in the work. I’m here already, so, I’m just waiting on him.”
As for the day Bronny matches his dad’s career highs, LeBron joked, “He’s got a long way to get to me.”
Bright Future
Before Bronny settled on USC, LeBron said his son “can go to any college he wants to” without any problems. “All I have to do is pick up the phone. If Bronny says he wants to go there, he’s good enough,” he told The Oregonian in January 2023. “He’s a great kid, he loves for the team to get better. But he has aspirations. Huge aspirations.”
Proud Dad
LeBron couldn’t hide his joy after Bronny announced his plans to play for USC. “I’m proud of him. This is an incredible thing,” he told reporters during a May 2023 press conference. “Unless it was, like, one of my great-grandmothers or great-grandfathers or someone that was way before my time, to my knowledge, this is the first one out of the James gang to go to college. … It’s very, very, very, very exciting, very humbling and a great moment for our family. It’s super cool, he’s a great kid. USC is getting a great kid. He’s there to play basketball, but they’re gonna be super surprised how great of a kid he is.”
His Biggest Cheerleader
“Can’t even tell y’all how EMOTIONAL today was for me!” LeBron wrote via Instagram after Bronny made his USC basketball game debut in December 2023. “I’m literally drained and all I can say is @bronny you’re simply INCREDIBLE!! Damn the wins and loses that will occur. You’ve already won the ultimate goal/championship and that’s LIFE!!! Proud of you kid and today you’ve given me more life! Thank you and I love you 🤎🙏🏾🤴🏾🥺.”
