LeBron James is used making highlights, but lately he has competition in his own house. LeBron’s 13-year-old son, LeBron “Bronny” James Jr., has been making viral videos of his own. Even before he was a teenager, LeBron Jr. already had offers from the likes of Duke and Kentucky. While LeBron loves watching his son play basketball, he has also had to play the role of a protective parent as LeBron Jr. continues to be in the spotlight.
“My son is going to be a kid as long as he can be,” LeBron told ESPN. “That’s all he needs to worry about. He loves to play the game of basketball, he loves to play video games, he loves to do his homework. That’s all that matters. Everything else doesn’t matter. He loves his brother, his sister, his dad, his mom, his grandmom. Let him be a kid.”
LeBron and his wife, Savannah (Brinson) James, have three children. Lebron Jr. is the oldest of the group, and the couple also has 10-year-old Bryce and 3-year-old Zhuri.
Check out LeBron Jr.’s top highlights, and learn more about King James’ son.
1. LeBron Jr. Had Offers From Duke & Kentucky at 11 Years Old
According to ESPN, LeBron Jr. already had scholarship offers by the time he turned 11, including offers from Duke and Kentucky. ESPN also reported Kentucky coach John Calipari watched LeBron Jr. play, and former Ohio State coach Thad Matta had mentioned the team was keeping an eye on LeBron’s son. LeBron has tried to downplay the hype that his son has generated, noting it is much too early for him to be considering colleges.
“Yeah, he’s already got some offers from colleges, it’s pretty crazy,” LeBron told CBS Detroit. “It should be a violation, you shouldn’t be recruiting 10-year-old kids.”
2. LeBron Admits His Son Is a Better Passer Than He Was at a Young Age
LeBron believes parts of his son’s game are more developed than he was at his age. In particular, LeBron has praised LeBron Jr.’s passing ability, noting he wants to get his teammates invovled.
“It’s crazy, he plays just like I did,” LeBron told CBS Detroit. “He has great awareness and he’d rather pass first and set guys up. Most kids nowadays just want to score.”
LeBron admitted he did not take health and fitness as seriously in his early NBA years. His thought process has evolved over time as he has become a veteran player.
“I ate McDonalds my first couple years in the NBA, I didn’t stretch, I didn’t ice, it didn’t matter,” LeBron explained to CBS Detroit. “I was 18, I could do whatever I wanted to.”
3. Chris Paul Is LeBron Jr.’s Godfather
Chris Paul is not only good friends with LeBron, but is LeBron Jr.’s godfather per USA Today. Chris watched as LeBron Jr. led his middle school team, Old Trail, to a championship.
Chris and LeBron’s relationship goes back to high school. According to the Los Angeles Times, the two played against each other in AAU basketball, and both played in the McDonald’s All-American game. LeBron and Chris were in each other’s weddings, which shows how close they have become.
“He’s like one of my best friends,” Paul told the Los Angeles Times. “We talk every week, all the time…We’re each other kids’ godparents.”
4. LeBron Jr. Almost Threw Down a Dunk at 13 Years Old
As his father was looking to make his eighth straight NBA finals appearance, LeBron Jr. was looking to throw down his first dunk. He came close during the George Hill Invitational in Indianapolis in May 2018, an event named after his father’s Cavs teammate. USA Today broke down LeBron Jr.’s hops.
And while most 13-year-old kids cannot dunk, it’s only a matter of time until LeBron Jr. throws down his first dunk on a 10-foot goal. He’s already coming awfully close.
During warmups at the weekend’s George Hill Invitational in Indianapolis, James gave dunking a try and came up just short. He threw a lob to himself and lost the ball as he grabbed the rim. It was still a stunning effort for a basketball player of his age.
There are highlights like the one below where James dunks, but the goal is not the regulation size of 10 feet. LeBron Jr. has already won over the internet thanks to several highlight tapes where he shows off his ball handling skills.
LeBron’s son, Bronny, saw these kids playing basketball outside and decided to join (via zcoffey12/Instagram)
5. After Growing Up Without a Relationship With His Father, LeBron Wanted His 3 Children to Have a Different Experience
Even though LeBron admits that growing up without his father, Anthony McClelland, provided him extra motivation to succeed, he wanted something different for his own children. Despite LeBron’s ability to lean on his mother and others to help him succeed, LeBron wanted his kids to grow up in a home with both parents.
“Just breaking the mode, that’s all,” James explained to Cleveland.com. “I wanted to be a part of the statistics that breaks the mode of fathers running out on their kids. That was something that I obviously went through and I knew from Day 1 that wasn’t going to be me. So, to have a family and be there for them and be there on a day-to-day basis is important. I know I travel a lot but I’m a staple in the household and it means a lot to me and I know it means a lot to my kids.”