LeBron James has spent his career surrounded by superstars, executives, and some of the most powerful figures in sports. But when the NBA icon raised a glass during a yacht celebration, his attention turned to someone who had been beside him long before the championships, business empire, and global fame.
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On his Instagram story, James celebrated his lifelong friend Randy Mims, better known as Ernie Ramos, with a birthday message that captured the loyalty behind their decades-long relationship.
The celebration brought together several members of LeBron’s closest circle. It included the superstar sports agent Rich Paul and business partner Maverick Carter. As the group enjoyed the yacht vacation, James raised his glass toward Mims and delivered his usual high-pitched laugh after saying, “Happy birthday, my dawg.”
The video also carried a simple but personal caption from LeBron James: “Happy Bday my mutha****a!!! Love you man!! More life to you champ!”
For most people, a birthday toast from Bron would already be memorable. For Mims, though, the moment meant something much deeper. He has been part of James’ life since childhood, long before LeBron became the “Chosen One” and entered the NBA.
Their story began in Akron, Ohio, when LeBron was only four years old and growing up in the local housing projects. The connection came through their neighborhood network. Mims got his haircut by Akron barber Ricky Garret, whom Bron knew very well.
That connection eventually developed into one of the most enduring relationships in LeBron James’ life.
By the time James arrived at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School as one of the most heavily hyped young basketball players in America, Mims was already firmly established in his inner circle. LeBron has often spoken about the grounding presence Mims provided, including how his teammates gravitated toward him during those formative years.
Mims did not simply remain a childhood friend watching from the sidelines. As LeBron James’s basketball career accelerated, he built a future around the same circle of people who had known him before his fame.
From Akron to Philadelphia and beyond
While LeBron bypassed college and entered the 2003 NBA Draft, Mims took a more conventional route. He earned a marketing degree and briefly worked a corporate job at AT&T before James brought him into his growing operation as a personal manager and assistant.
Together with Rich Paul and Maverick Carter, Mims became part of the business group that helped manage business interests surrounding LeBron James’ career.
His role then followed the 4x champ through every major chapter of his NBA journey. Mims worked with him during his first Cleveland stint, moved to Miami during the Heat years, returned to Cleveland for his second stint, and eventually moved to LA.
That makes his latest move particularly significant.
After LeBron James’ blockbuster free-agency move to the Sixers, Mims followed him once again. This time, he took a position with Philadelphia as the Executive Administrator of Player Programs & Logistics. His job continues to center on the environment around Bron.
He manages the practical details that allow the superstar to focus on basketball and life away from the noise.
The geography has changed dramatically since those Akron housing projects were built. The responsibilities have changed, too. What has not changed is the relationship.
That is what made the birthday message more than another celebrity’s Instagram post. LeBron James was not simply celebrating a member of his professional team. He was celebrating someone who knew him before the NBA, before the business empire, and before the blinding spotlight.
From a four-year-old kid in Akron to an NBA superstar building his next chapter in Philadelphia, Mims has remained part of the journey. The yacht, the champagne, and the famous friends were all new scenery.
The loyalty was not.