As a kid, LeBron James never had a father figure to look up to. LeBron’s mother, Gloria James, had no choice but to take care of her son alone. Anthony McClelland, James’ father, was mostly absent and never paid child support.
Fast forward a few years and “King” James is now one of the all-time greats in the NBA and a father of three children.
But who exactly is Anthony McClelland? According to Players Bio, Anthony and Gloria were casually dating when she became pregnant with LeBron.
McClelland reportedly had an extensive criminal record. He was taken into custody in 2002 on charges of theft and arson. He then frequently entered and left prison for minor offenses.
McClelland also reportedly impregnated another woman who gave birth to LeBron’s half-brother Aaron McClelland Gamble. McClelland also ended up leaving the woman and his second son.
LeBron James never needed a father figure to become successful
On Tuesday, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. James currently has a total of 38,390 career points and can easily crack 40,000 points in the seasons to come.
Who would have thought that a kid from Akron, Ohio, who grew up in a broken family would reach the heights he has today?
Growing up with a single mother, LeBron James knows what it’s like to struggle. James’ childhood struggles are what motivated him to strive for greatness and become the best that he can be. In high school, LBJ was regarded as the best teenage player at the time. The basketball world had a lot of expectations for him, especially when he made his NBA debut in 2003.
Twenty seasons later, “King” James is now on top of the world. A four-time NBA champion, four-time Finals MVP, and four-time league MVP, he has achieved greatness. LBJ did all of this without a father figure in his life.
