LeBron James and his wife Savannah have been together for over twenty years and are literally the definition of childhood sweethearts. Not only have they kept their relationship low-key despite King James' iconic status, but they have also lived a married life without issues and controversy.
But while the marriage continues to get stronger by the day, there was a point in time when it could have ended. During a recent episode of Savannah's podcast, she mentioned that LeBron going to the NBA threatened their relationship.
“Obviously, LeBron got drafted to Cleveland when we was younger, and I’m from Akron — I’m from 30 minutes down the road — but I don’t know,” she said . “If I had to ask him, if he was sittin’ here…I think that he would say the same in like, ‘I don’t know what would have happened.’ So, thanks Cleveland Cavaliers."
Savannah and LeBron came from rival schools
Savannah and LeBron met when she was a 16-year-old sophomore baseball player and cheerleader at Buchtel Community Learning Center in Akron. Meanwhile, Bron was a year older and a junior at rival St. Vincent- St. Mary, when he invited her to watch one of his basketball games.
They had their first date weeks later at the now-closed Outback Steakhouse. The two hit it off very well and have been inseparable ever since. However, if the Cavaliers did not win the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery, LeBron could have ended up playing in another NBA city and life could have unfolded differently for the couple.
Looking back, the Cavs and the Denver Nuggets both had identical 22.5% odds to win that year's lottery after finishing with the NBA's worst records the previous campaign. But as fate would have it, Denver went from a possible #1 to #3 while Cleveland beat out Detroit and earned the right to pick LeBron. The rest, as they say, is history.
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No success without Savannah
Bron will be entering his 22nd year in the league when the NBA's next season opens. Not only will he be only the second player in history to play 22 seasons, but he will do so while still playing at a very high level. Just last month, King James was named MVP of the 2024 Olympics. When asked about his motivation, he talked about his family as the motivation for his remarkable longevity and his Queen as his rock.
"My wife takes care of the business, man. She's the best. Without her, I wouldn't even be in this position to be able to do what I do and love the game. I love it. So, to have my wife and my two boys and my daughter here and the rest of my family here, it was everything," LeBron said .
LeBron is one of the best basketball players of all time, if not the greatest. But he wouldn't be here without Savannah standing with him through thick and thin. And as she says, they may not be here today without the Cavaliers franchise.
Related: “I’m old as f*** in basketball terms, but I am young in life” - LeBron James answers what his legacy will look like in 100 years
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