LeBron James has been under the glare of fame longer than some people have been alive, a period so long that the idea of normal life feels like a distant memory for him. Since his teenage years, he’s been surrounded by cameras and crowds, with no way to blend into the background. As his legacy and legend have grown beyond the basketball court, the visibility has only increased.

But LeBron alone doesn’t feel the impact of this. The same fame that has elevated him has also reshaped the everyday life of his family, especially his children, whose lives have been irreversibly altered by security concerns and the impossibility of moving through the world unnoticed.

In a recent interview with Speedy Morman, LeBron admitted life hasn’t been ordinary since his early teens. Talking about the contrast between his youth and adulthood, he said: “I do remember moments when I was growing up in the inner city, running around the Elizabeth Projects in Akron, just being a kid—going outside, playing tag, throwing the ball up in a game called Free Frog, playing ball on the monkey bars, just being regular. But that stopped after I won a state championship my freshman year. By the start of my sophomore year, it was over with.” That shift was the end of any chance of an anonymous life, and the beginning of what seems like lifelong scrutiny.

When asked if he ever wished to be able to shut it off, LeBron agreed. He talked about longing for ordinary moments, like walking into a movie theatre unnoticed, or taking his daughter Zhuri James to an amusement park without the chaos that comes with security and fans. “My daughter wants to go to amusement parks all the time, like, ‘Babe, I love you. The nanny will take you.’ It’s not going to happen. I’m not going to be able to enjoy myself, and then it makes my daughter weirded out about it.” His raw honesty puts the spotlight on the unwanted effects of fame, showing how Zhuri is forced to adjust to a reality she never chose.

Still, LeBron insists that he isn’t resentful. “I’m not sitting here crying for help… Like, I love my life, bro. My family, I’ll take care of my family. Family take care of me. We find moments where we can still enjoy life,” he said, understanding that while his fame restricts him, he wouldn’t trade away his life for anything, even if it comes at the cost of normalcy for his daughter.

A Father Shaped by His Daughter

LeBron has always been protective of his family, but when it comes to Zhuri, his youngest child, his words show how impactful her presence has been. In 2018, LeBron dedicated his Icon 360 award at the Harlem Fashion Row Style Awards, saying, “This pretty girl right here; this is my rock… And then, three years ago, this bright spot right here happened in our family. And not only did she change me, but she made me a better person — a more dedicated person, a stronger person. I guess, a more sensitive person that realized that I have so much more of a responsibility to women, in general.”

This is a side of LeBron that we rarely see, a vulnerable side hidden behind the highlight reels and the competitive fire. His love for Zhuri is intertwined with the sacrifices he makes to shield her from the side effects of his fame. It’s a balancing act between trying to offer her a normal childhood while knowing that the world will always see her as LeBron James’ daughter first.

For LeBron, he has made it clear he’s not running away from this challenge. He knows his relationship with Zhuri will never be that of a “normal” father and daughter. Yet, he embraces it, making sure to give her his full support, even if the simple amusement park trip never happens for them the way it would for anyone else.