LeBron James’ decision to leave the Miami Heat and rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 was quite a popular one among NBA fans, but that wasn’t the case in his own home. LeBron’s wife Savannah James revealed on her Everybody’s Crazy Podcast, that she did not want them to return to Cleveland.
“And then LeBron said ‘I’m taking my talents back to Cleveland,’ I’m like, ‘What? No, I don’t want to go back.'”
Considering Savannah had settled in Miami and the hostile reception LeBron had gotten in Cleveland since his departure in 2010, I don’t blame her for not wanting to go back. His mind was set, though, and she eventually made peace with it.
Returning to the Cavaliers proved to be a great decision by LeBron. He ended Cleveland’s 52-year title drought by leading the team to the NBA championship in 2016.
LeBron did it in some style too, orchestrating the greatest comeback in league history, as the Cavaliers stormed back from down 3-1 in the Finals to the 73-9 Golden State Warriors. He fulfilled his promise as a teenager to bring a championship to Cleveland in the process and ensured he’d forever be remembered as an icon in the area.
LeBron then left the Cavaliers for a second time in 2018, but there were no ill feelings over that. Fans in Cleveland were grateful for what he had done and to this day, he and his family receive a very warm welcome when they go back.
Savannah Isn’t Sure She And LeBron Would Be Together Today If He Hadn’t Been Drafted By The Cavaliers
While Savannah didn’t want a return to the Cavaliers in 2014, she sure is thankful they drafted LeBron back in 2003. In this episode, the 38-year-old admitted they might not be together today if been drafted by some other team. (starts at the 35:00 mark)
“Obviously, LeBron got drafted to Cleveland when we was younger, and I’m from Akron, 30 minutes down the road, but I don’t know,” Savannah said. “If I had to ask him, if he was sittin’ here… I think that he would say the same in like, ‘I don’t know what would have happened.’ So, thanks Cleveland Cavaliers… We’ve talked about this a lot. Yeah like so thanks guys, keeping my love around.”
LeBron and Savannah had started dating when they were in high school and if he had to relocate not too long after that, they might have had to end their relationship. Fortunately, the Cavaliers got the first pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, so James stayed in Cleveland.
A year later, LeBron and Savannah welcomed their first child together, with Bronny being born on Oct. 6, 2004. Father and son are now teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers, which still seems a bit surreal.
LeBron and Savannah would welcome two more children in the years that followed, with Bryce being born on June 14, 2007, and Zhuri, their only daughter, being born on Oct. 22, 2014. The couple also got married along the way on Sept. 14, 2013. LeBron and Savannah have now been together for over 20 years and hopefully, they’ll remain together till the end of their days.
