Lebron James Met His Wife Savannah When He Was 17 - They Have Grown into the 'Greatest Couple'

LeBron James and his wife Savannah hit the decade mark in their marriage in September 2023, and the couple is still as supportive of each other as they were before his rise to basketball fame.

Akron natives Savannah and LeBron James’ relationship predates their 2013 nuptials by another decade. Having welcomed three children and maintaining blossoming careers, the couple has grown together as individuals, partners, and parents with a focus on also giving back to their community.

Who Is Savannah James?

Savannah James finds little enjoyment in the spotlight that comes with being a basketball star’s wife. Appearances on the red carpet or television makes her feel a “bit clammy,” but she is more than willing to step out of her comfort zone for what she believes in. Savannah doesn’t identify with fame, she is a champion for empowerment.

An active philanthropist, she has been involved in projects from fundraising draws focused on empowering and encouraging young women and girls, to the launch of her mentorship program, Women of Our Future, in 2017.

“I’m still a very private person,” the youngest of five children explained. “But these things reflect the passion that I have as far as giving back, the philanthropic part of me. So with those things, I don’t mind stepping out.”

Savannah has been working to change lives for the better for years, but she has also been dedicated to her family as a mother and wife. A personal journey that began when she met LeBron in 2002.

How They Met

LeBron was a 17-year-old junior at St. Vincent-St. Mary, and Savannah a 16-year-old sophomore at rival Buchtel, when a mutual friend told Savannah that LeBron had asked for her phone number.

Since she didn’t know much about LeBron at the time, Savannah opted to take his phone number instead, but forgot until she was “probably bored or something.” When she gave him a call, LeBron invited her to one of his basketball games and they went to the local Applebee’s in a group afterward. Their first solo date soon followed.

“He met me! I didn’t meet him!” Savannah teased in an interview.

Their first date at an Outback Steakhouse went well and careful to follow the rules, he impressed Savannah’s dad by having her home on time afterward. They had been together ever since, and he still impresses Savannah to this day.

“He is truly a king to his queen, if you will,” she said in 2017. “He treats me with so much respect — I mean, it’s hard to not love him, with the way that he is with me and the kids and his mom and just everyone who’s around him. He’s a really, really humble guy for everything that he has and everything that he’s done.”

In turn, LeBron reiterated the strength of their bond when he received an Icon 360 Award in 2018.

“Savanna was with me shooting in the gym before when I had absolutely nothing. So thank you. I will love you forever for that,” he said during his acceptance speech.

Lebron and Savannah Became Parents Young

Since their days shooting in the gym, the couple welcomed three kids. The first, their son LeBron Jr., was born when they were both still teenagers.

"I was thinking, 'What am I going to tell my parents? What's going to happen to his career?' I was very scared. I was bawling. But he said, 'It's not going to slow me down, and it's not going to slow you down. We're going to keep doing what we have to do,'" Savannah reflected on the situation during an interview in 2010.

Two years after LeBron Jr., the couple welcomed their second son, Bryce Maximus, followed by their daughter, Zhuri, eight years later. Having children did indeed not slow either of them down, and they approached parenting by implementing what they learned along the way.

Lebron and Savannah's Approach to Parenting

LeBron believes in never giving up, and Savannah stands by her mantra - encouragement, and together they developed a parenting system that works for them.

“If there’s nothing more you can do for a child, just constantly encourage them and set them on the right path when it comes to sports or their schoolwork or nurturing a hobby—with whatever it is. Just be a constant source of encouragement. That’s what LeBron talks about—never give up,” Savannah elaborated.

“You have to go along that path on your own because every kid is different; every situation is different,” LeBron once said about parenting. However, he also mused in an interview how everything he learned about being a parent, he learned from his mother.

What LeBron Learned from His Mother

“Everything I know about being loving and caring, and sacrificing and showing up and being present in my children’s lives—I learned all of that from her example,” he wrote in a tribute to his mother, Gloria James.

LeBron showed appreciation and love for the example Gloria set in his life when he accepted his Icon 360 Award in 2018. Giving a glimpse into the difficulties she faced when LeBron was a child.

“I couldn’t imagine being 16 years old and having a kid being a sophomore in high school and having to raise a kid by myself without the means without support system, without anything, and giving that kid just a sense of pride, a sense of strength, a sense of no worry. Because of you, Gloria James, I’m able to receive this award today,” he mused.

How LeBron grew up, and the sacrifices his mother made, shaped the man he became, and his view on what it means to be a parent.

The Sacrifices That Shaped Lebron & His View on Parenting

Gloria was a single mother and “really struggled” to make ends meet. She lived in her mom’s house with LeBron, her only child, in Akron, Ohio, until her mom suddenly died of a heart attack when LeBron was 3.

“Everything changed. With my mom being so young and lacking any support and the skills and education necessary to get ahead, it was really hard for us. We lost the house,” LeBron recalled.

They moved a dozen times over the next three years, a “scary” time for LeBron, as Gloria took on work anywhere she could to make ends meet. Even so, Gloria always made him feel safe.

“I had my mother to blanket me and to give me security. She was my mother, my father, my everything. She put me first. I knew that no matter what happened, nothing and nobody was more important to her than I was,” LeBron explained.

And it’s because she put him first, that Gloria decided to make the ultimate sacrifice when LeBron was 9 years old. She knew her son needed stability, something she couldn’t provide at the time, so made arrangements with his football coach, “Big Frankie” Walker, for LeBron to stay with them while she got back on her feet.

“I stayed with the Walkers for a year, and what a gift that was! I was in the same school all year, slept in the same bed all year, played on the same football team all year, and Big Frankie put me on my first basketball team. I saw my mom every weekend,” LeBron elaborated.

Gloria then secured a two-bedroom apartment with government assistance and LeBron moved back in with her until he finished high school. The rest, as he said, is history.

Love and Admiration

However, LeBron’s history, and achievements over the years also garnered admiration, especially his lasting love story with Savannah. In 2021, LeBron paid a special tribute to Savannah on their eighth wedding anniversary.

“Happy Anniversary Queen!! Who am i w/o you in my corner, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Love you [sic],” LeBron wrote alongside loving images taken on their wedding day.

The comment section soon flooded with compliments and messages of admiration. “Bron, the only one who did it the right way,” an Instagram user noted. “What a beautiful couple,” another added. “Greatest couple ever,” chimed in another fan, reiterating the appreciation for how LeBron and Savannah live their lives and the example they set.