LeBron James is a brilliant example of rags to riches story. He was raised by his mother, Gloria, as she had LeBron when she was just 16. James had a tough childhood as he had to move around a lot with his mother who was trying to make ends meet. They changed houses multiple times. Gloria made sure she took care of her son as he had no father to look up to.
To this date, LeBron doesn’t know who his father is. As a single mother, Gloria raised a child who has only gone on to become one of the greatest players of all time. As there was no information about LeBron’s dad, one man tried to claim himself as his father. A long case followed, that included DNA tests of LeBron and his mother, which eventually culminated in 2011.
The man, Leicester Bryce Stovell, suddenly appeared in the lives of LeBron James and Gloria more than two decades after the birth of ‘the King’. By this time, LeBron was already a superstar in the NBA and was earning millions. While his mother didn’t want anything to do with Stovell, LeBron asked for a DNA test.
The test proved that Stovell was not the father of LeBron, but Stovell felt the results had been tampered with. After this, Stovell sued LeBron and Gloria for $4 million on the grounds of fraud, defamation, and misrepresentation. The case was dismissed after months by the presiding judge.
The Los Angeles Lakers forward is currently the only active billionaire in the NBA. He rose from nothing to become one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.
USA Today via Reuters
The credit for who LeBron is today is likely to be given to his mother, Gloria. She worked hard to make ends meet and she raised a future NBA champion. Off the court, LeBron is now the father of two sons and one daughter. He makes sure he actively participates in their lives because he knows what it was like to grow up without a father.
