LeBron James calls his wife Savannah James his “Queen”. Indeed, the basketball royalty has given Savannah his heart since they met each other as teenagers in high school. And she has reciprocated well, becoming the central force in keeping their family of five together. But is the tag of ‘LeBron James’ wife’ the only world for Savanna? Probably not.

Escaping the show of LeBron James, one of the most influential and widely recognized superstars, is nearly impossible, but not for a driven individual such as Savannah James. In her younger days, the 38-year-old was fully devoted to being a mother. But with time, responsibilities began to ease. This allowed her to branch out and find her own calling. Apart from being an intelligent businesswoman, she also began her own podcast with April McDaniels. And she has gained her own massive fan following, though they occasionally come with links to LeBron.

While speaking of fan experiences on Everybody’s Crazy, McDaniels spoke enthrallingly about her first interaction with one of their many followers. She met them at the airport, and they shed their swooning thoughts over their show. To this, Savannah assured her co-host that their show is adored and cherished by fans. For her, though, it’s different since she is constantly seen as the wife of LeBron James. Not only is the charismatic James proud of it, but she has also had her “Adele” moment.

“Girl, people love the show. They love the show. And obviously, you know, I’ve been in the game for a minute. Yeah, I mean I get both and I’m cool with it. I am. So it’s fine,” she said about being called the Akron Hammer’s wife. “It’s funny it was a while ago. I know I was living in Miami but it was a group of ladies I was around and they was like oh, you’ve become Savannah. It’s like Madonna or Adele. Like you are Savannah. I said y’all stop it,” Savannah shared during the conversation. 

It takes two to make a power couple. And while LeBron James has cemented an immortal legacy, Savannah James has become a pillar in her world. Instead of being just LeBron James’ wife, she has immersed herself with philanthropic work centered around women. And those have attracted praise from LeBron himself.

In 2013, Savannah launched the annual I PROM-ise Makeover event, which offers free prom outfits and accessories to local Akron students. Four years later, she created Women of Our Future, a mentorship program that provides one-on-one counseling and support for young women in Akron. Back in 2018, LeBron James had taken to his social media to laud her efforts.

“Congrats to my Queen 👸🏽 Savannah on her 7th annual #PromPromise! What you do for those girls every year in and out is tremendous! They need inspiration and guidance and you’ve been that to them. Continue to be that. I’m truly proud of you and your commitment to the women of our future! 🙏🏾👏🏾✊🏾❤️,” LeBron had written on his Facebook.

That simple recognition is substantial for Savannah James, who is aware of the fact that the majority of her interactions will stem from her husband’s name. But while everyone else has a pass, she did have to educate LeBron James on being careful.

In an earlier podcast episode, Savannah James was speaking about the growth of her relationship with LeBron James. A part of that is adaptability. So even though they have been high school sweethearts, they are always open to listening and ensuring not make the other uncomfortable. To do so, the mother of three recalled having to “pull” James aside to amend one of his habits.

Savannah revealed that during the early days of their relationship, she had to ask LeBron not to introduce her as his wife until it was official, underscoring the importance of respect and individuality in a relationship. “Don’t call me your wifey. I am not… I had to politely tell my husband back in the day. He used to introduce me ‘This is my wife. This is my wife’. I had to pull him to the side like excuse me, sir, don’t introduce me as that, please. I am not your wife and I deserve that title when the time is right,” said the entrepreneur.

But once they tied the knot in 2013, LeBron has not shied away from displaying his affection for Savannah. Neither did she complain about it. Just days back, as Savannah turned 38, LeBron put up an adorable social media post to celebrate that. “Queen Day!!” the superstar wrote in his Instagram story showcasing his wife. And why not? Look at how their love story has blossomed and went on becoming stronger as the days passed by with Savannah becoming the binding factor in LeBron’s life.

Savannah is the ‘Boss-woman’ for LeBron James

An Akron, Ohio native, Savannah is the matriarch of the James family. It was Savannah who took the lead to raise their three children, Bronny, Bryce, and Zhuri, while LeBron was building his legacy on the court. And the King accepts that with his heart out.

“I’m gone a lot, so she is the boss of the household; she’s the rule-setter. 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,” LeBron had told Vogue in 2017. It all started when Savannah was 16.

The two met through common friends. While LeBron had originally asked the friend for her number, it was Savannah who got his number and made the first move. Result? LeBron invited her to one of his games, and she accepted. Rest is history! Later that night, they hung out with a group of friends at Applebees. Their first official date was at Outback Steakhouse a few weeks later. And LeBron fondly remembers that night in 2002.

“you had on a black-and-pink two-piece, Right?” LeBron had recalled in an interview with Vogue in 2017. In fact, LeBron had revealed that he was determined to impress her dad as well with an on-time post-date arrival. “I was following the rules,” James had said. Savannah knew that a genuine story is emerging.

“I knew he loved me when I left my leftovers from dinner in his car. I’d totally forgotten about them, and he brought them to me. I think he just wanted another excuse to come and see me,” Savannah had told Harper’s Bazaar. After welcoming two kids in 2004 and 2007, the two got engaged in 2011 at a new year’s party.

“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, 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,” LeBron had told in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

King James finally officially earned the rights to call her his wife publicly on September 14, 2013. The lavish ceremony was attended by the likes of Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, Chris and Adrienne Bosh, and Carmelo and LaLa Anthony, as well as Beyoncé and Jay-Z. However, the world had to wait for a long time to witness the occasion. It was only after eight year of their marriage that LeBron shared the wedding day pictures on his social media. In the meantime, the family expanded further as they welcomed Zhuri in 2014.

LeBron credits his family, particularly Savannah, for his dazzling 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 had said. And that is paying off, indeed.

Their eldest son Bronny, is in his dad’s footsteps. After playing one collegiate season with the USC Trojans, Bronny was selected as the 55th overall draft by the Lakers in 2024. This makes the father and son duo the NBA’s first such active duo. They are set to make their debut on the court together in the fall of 2024. So beyond all her recognition for her entrepreneurial ventures, what is next for Svannah? Bronny James’ mother? Let’s wait to find out!