For most of LeBron James’ NBA career, his children were growing up while he kept moving from one season to the next. The arenas changed, the teams changed, and eventually, the children who once watched him from the sidelines began finding their own paths.
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Now, that family dynamic looks very different. Bronny James is an NBA player, Bryce James is developing at Arizona, and Zhuri James has found an interest of her own away from her father’s sport.
And as LeBron prepares for his 24th NBA season, he shared a message that put that change into perspective.
“I hope my kids know this: I’m strong because of them. I didn’t just raise them; they raised me too.
“They gave me a reason to fight harder, love deeper, and find meaning in the everyday moments. They are the light that keeps me going.”
The message comes at a very different point in LeBron’s career. At 41, he is preparing to play for the Philadelphia 76ers after signing a two-year, $8 million deal in July. Philadelphia will be the fourth franchise of his career, and he is entering his 24th season after briefly considering whether his playing days were coming to an end.
His family, meanwhile, is no longer in the same place it was when LeBron first entered the NBA. Bronny, 21, was selected 55th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft and remains under contract with the team entering the 2026-27 season. He and LeBron also made NBA history as the first father-son duo to play together in the regular season and playoffs.
That makes LeBron’s latest message especially notable. His oldest son is no longer simply watching his father’s career. Bronny is building an NBA career of his own, and he will do so in Los Angeles even as LeBron begins his Philadelphia chapter. Reports also confirmed there was no plan for Bronny to follow his father to Philadelphia.
Bryce, 19, is taking a different step. He committed to Arizona and redshirted the entire 2025-26 season without making a game appearance. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd pointed to Bryce’s physical development, learning the system and his long-term development as part of that decision.
Zhuri, meanwhile, is 11 and has developed an interest in volleyball. She has participated at the club level, including a ceremonial first serve at an LOVB Championship, while her mother Savannah has also invested in a Los Angeles professional volleyball franchise.
LeBron has also made it clear in recent years that his definition of success goes beyond what happens on a basketball court.
“My definition of success is how my kids succeed in life… I just hope that in the time that I’ve been able to do what I’ve been able to do is instilled in them to be kind, work hard, determined, how to handle adversity, and also just be you.”
That view of fatherhood goes back to the beginning of his NBA career. Around Bronny’s birth in 2004, LeBron said, “That’s my main goal, to try and be a better father than the one I had. I didn’t know him. I didn’t know the situation he was in. But I’m going to do my job the best way I can. I’m excited about it. It’s a wonderful opportunity in life.”
LeBron’s decision to join Philadelphia, however, was not made because of family logistics. In July, he said, “This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family… I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.”
That leaves LeBron heading into another season with a championship still on his mind, while his three children continue moving into lives of their own. And perhaps that is what makes his latest message stand out: after 23 seasons of being the one his family watched, LeBron now finds himself watching them grow into their own paths.