LeBron James is widely regarded as superhuman. Standing at 6’9″ and 250 pounds, he can leap past tall defenders in a single bound and withstand aggressive physicality. On the basketball court, he truly embodies the DC Comics superhero, Superman.
However, during his appearance on the “Everybody’s Crazy” podcast, which his wife, Savannah, co-hosts, he reminded everyone that although he has been pulling off awe-inspiring feats of basketball brilliance for the last 22 NBA seasons, he is mortal. He is human. And just like any human being, he has his fair share of fears.
One fear LeBron opened up about was being alone. Despite having all the fame and fortune in the world, he says the prospect of being alone terrifies him. As a matter of fact, he impressed that he would do everything in his power to keep that from happening.
LeBron knows this from experience
James had a difficult childhood. He was raised by his single mother, Gloria, who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. As a result, LeBron spent much of his time alone. Though LeBron is now 40 and decades removed from his childhood, he says the fear of being alone still lingers.
“I know I don’t want to be alone. That’s for damn sure,” he revealed. “I’m an only child from a single-parent household. But I knew, I knew for sure.”
Fortunately for LeBron, he didn’t spend much time alone anymore after Gloria allowed him to move in with a local football coach named Frank Walker. Not long after that, he met a few friends who shared his passion for hoops. These young men — specifically Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III and Willie McGee — would later become his lifelong friends, by his side as he blazed a trail across high school basketball during his days playing for the St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish.
“I met my homies for the first time when I was seven, eight years old. We started playing sports and I got around them and we started traveling, playing sports. I was like, ‘Oh, this s—t is amazing,'” LeBron shared.
Fight for his family
It was also around this time that LeBron met Savannah, who became his high school sweetheart and eventually his wife. Being with her through all this time has further reinforced how important family is to James.
“When I got with Vanna, I was like, ‘Oh, this s—t is crazy. Oh, this is amazing. I love this s—t,'” he emphasized.
In fact, LeBron reiterated that he is so afraid of losing his family that he has vowed to do everything in his power to keep them close and protect them.
“If I’ve got to fight, crawl, scratch, fight, whatever to keep mine, I’ve got to keep it,” he declared. “I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. I don’t want to be alone.”
LeBron couldn’t help but express his hope that the next time he’s alone would be in a casket, six feet under the ground.
“I’m like, ‘Ah, f—k that. Next time I’m alone, you know, I’m gonna be up underneath,” he stated.
LeBron may look invincible at times. Even at age 40, he continues to compete at the highest level in the NBA. However, behind the glitz and glamour of his superstar status lies a man deeply devoted to his family, willing to do whatever it takes to keep them by his side at all times.
