All About LeBron James' Love Story With His Wife, Savannah James

All eyes will be on LeBron James as he carries the flag for Team USA alongside Coco Gauff at the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris—but he's no stranger to the attention. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, the 39-year-old LA Lakers star already has two gold medals under his belt, along with four NBA championships. The 20-time all-star needs no introduction, because his stunning legacy speaks for itself. But one of our favorite facts about LeBron James is that he credits his wife, Savannah James, for contributing to his record-breaking career in the public eye.

It doesn't come as a surprise, considering Savannah James has been by LeBron's side since the very beginning. The couple met as teenagers in high school and, well, the rest is history. We take a deep dive into LeBron and Savannah James' love story here, breaking down when they met, the details from their star-studded wedding, and how she's supported him behind the scenes since they were young.

• Lebron James is married to Savannah James. They have been together since the early 2000s.
• Lebron James and Savannah James met at one of his basketball games in high school.
• Lebron James and Savannah James got married on September 14, 2013, in San Diego, California.
• Lebron James and Savannah James share three children together: sons Bronny and Bryce, and daughter Zhuri.

In this article:

• Who is LeBron James' Wife, Savannah James?
• How LeBron James and Savannah James Met
• Inside LeBron James and Savannah James' Engagement
• Savannah and LeBron James' Wedding Photos & Details
• All About LeBron James and Savannah James' Children

Who is LeBron James' Wife, Savannah James?

Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage

LeBron James' wife is Savannah (Brinson) James—but even though she's married to one of the most famous basketball players of all time, she's one of the most private NBA wives. An Akron, Ohio native, Savannah is the youngest of five children.

As the matriarch of the James family, Savannah took the lead on raising their three kids while LeBron was in season. "I'm gone a lot, so she is the boss of the household; she's the rule-setter," he told Vogue in 2017. "It's hard for me to go on the road for two and half weeks and then come home and tell my kids, 'Look, this is how it should be done,' when she's been home every day."

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Beyond parenthood, Savannah has immersed herself in localized philanthropic work. In 2013, she launched the annual I PROM-ise Makeover event, which allows local Akron students to get prom outfits and accessories for free. Four years later, she spearheaded the creation of Women of Our Future, a mentorship program that provides one-on-one counseling and support for young women in Akron.

In her spare time, LeBron James' wife has also pursued several entrepreneurship opportunities. During James' time on the Miami Heat, she ran The Juice Spot, a local cafe and juicery. The couple later developed a children's furniture line with American Signature called Home Court by LeBron James. Now, Savannah co-hosts the podcast Everybody's Crazy, which she told People "allows me to show a side of my personality."

How LeBron James and Savannah James Met

In a 2018 interview with Cleveland Magazine, Savannah James revealed that she met her husband LeBron through mutual friends when she was a 16-year-old sophomore in high school. At the time, LeBron was a year older and attended a rival school. While he originally asked their friend for her number, Savannah turned the tables by getting his and making the first move. "One day I'm sitting around—I was probably bored or something—and I'm like, 'Oh, I forgot! I have this number for this guy that I can call. He seemed interested, so let's see,'" she recalled.

LeBron invited her to one of his games, and she accepted the offer. They hung out with a group of friends at Applebees later that night, and their first official date was at Outback Steakhouse a few weeks later. Right away, Savannah had a good feeling about their relationship. "I knew he loved me when I left my leftovers from dinner in his car," she told Harper's Bazaar. "I'd totally forgotten about them, and he brought them to me. I think he just wanted another excuse to come and see me."

Inside LeBron James and Savannah James' Engagement

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After welcoming their first two children in 2004 and 2007, LeBron James and his wife Savannah got engaged at a New Year's Eve party in 2011. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the athlete likened the proposal to "a finals game." Considering they had been together for about a decade and were already parents to two young boys, James said that there was no question Savannah was his soulmate.

"I had been thinking about it, you know, for a while but it just came to me one day and I was like, 'This is a part of growth for me,'" he told Winfrey. "I was like, 'This is the lady and the woman I have been with through all the good and all the bad. She's been there for a long time and I wanted her to continue to be there with me,' so I felt like at that moment it was time."

Unsurprisingly, he popped the question with an incredible bauble. Savannah James' engagement ring is a large pear-cut diamond flanked by baguette side stones on a platinum band.

Savannah and LeBron James' Wedding Photos & Details

Photo: @KingJames / Instagram

Savannah and LeBron James' wedding was, in their words, "our own personal Met Gala." The ceremony itself took place on September 14, 2013, but the festivities lasted for three days. The lavish event was a star-studded affair attended by 200 guests, including basketball power couples Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, Chris and Adrienne Bosh, and Carmelo and LaLa Anthony, as well as Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Us Weekly reported that Ne-Yo performed at the reception.

TMZ received photos of the couple's alleged wedding invitation, which included details for a "welcome barbecue" party the Friday before and a farewell brunch on Sunday. While the invite instructed guests to call a private number to receive the top-secret ceremony information, it was later reported that the vow swap took place at San Diego's Grand Del Mar hotel.

Photo: @KingJames / Instagram

While the couple did not publicly share any wedding photos at first, LeBron took to Instagram on their eighth anniversary to give a glimpse into the celebration. In the photos, he could be seen wearing a dark blue velvet tuxedo jacket while his wife donned a strapless wedding dress adorned with intricate beading and crystals.

All About LeBron James and Savannah James' Children

Photo: Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images

LeBron James and his wife are the proud parents of three kids: Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri. While their first two were born in 2004 and 2007, respectively, their daughter joined the family in 2014, one year after the couple tied the knot. Athletic accolades aside, LeBron maintains that his children are his proudest accomplishment. "My daughter is the greatest thing in my life, along with my boys," he told Access Hollywood in 2021. "So, whenever she smiles, it don't matter what I'm doing, it makes me happy."

In fact, James credits his family—and particularly his wife—for supporting his record-breaking career. At the 2023 ESPYs, where he won the award for best record-breaking performance after becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer, he openly praised his wife during his acceptance speech. "For our family, no one has sacrificed more and more hard work to support this family more than you and I appreciate you for that, love you," he said.

That dedication has clearly paid off, as LeBron and Savannah James' son, Bronny, is following in his dad's footsteps. After playing one collegiate season with the USC Trojans, Bronny was selected 55th overall by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft. He and his dad are the NBA's first active father-son duo, and will make their debut on the court together in the fall of 2024.