LeBron's mom Gloria shares King James baby photo in hilarious throwback

In this story:
LeBron James is always making headlines, even as the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar sits on the bench with a sciatica injury.
The NBA's all-time leader in points, four-time champion, and four-time league MVP has nothing left to prove, but King James is always a lightning rod of debate. Is he the greatest of all time vs. Michael Jordan? Is he hurting the Lakers by not letting the franchise build around Luka Doncic, their centerpiece for the future?
RELATED: Stephen Curry reveals LeBron James did one thing that still surprised him at 40

While we'll let NBA experts and fans debate those topics, we can all agree that throwback photos of famous folks as children is always a winner. So luckily for us, James' mother Gloria shared some hilarious images of LeBron as a baby and kid in an Instagram post.
Needless to say there is no doubt where Mrs. James stands on any such debates, writing in her caption, "From his first steps in life to his first steps on the court, my son has always believed he could be as great as a king. 🩷😊"
RELATED: Injured LeBron awkwardly sips coffee sitting beside Bronny for Lakers NBA opener

The 21-time All-Star, which is still an unfathomable number, reposted the baby photo on his IG Stories, and not only is it adorable, but the Nike baby Jordans were especially on point.
RELATED: LeBron's son Bryce has new girlfriend flex Arizona-red dress in selfie launch
James has been a proud father in his own right, always applauding the accomplishments of his children — his Lakers teammate Bronny James, 21, although that too has been another controversial storyline that never goes away, Bryce, 18, who is now playing for the Arizona Wildcats, and daughter Zhuri, 11, who recently went viral for her insane speed playing flag football.
RELATED: LeBron’s wife Savannah turns heads in non-Dodgers jersey for WS date night
ZHURI JAMES GOT UP OUTTA THERE 💨
— Overtime (@overtime) October 31, 2025
(via mrs_savannahrj/IG) pic.twitter.com/fZQOjPQWGS
In fact, James rocked a Bryce Arizona jersey as part of his fit for the Lakers game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 24.

No matter how you feel about LeBron's on-the-court endeavors, and his pull off of it for NBA matters given Klutch Sports is run by his bestie Rich Paul, you can never question his loyalty to family and friends.
And that all comes from his mom, Gloria, who had to show off her baby King James.
RELATED: LeBron ruins Bronny's family night by awkward reaction amid Lakers drama

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —
Leave her alone: Defending Ayesha Curry, husband Steph as ugly backlash continues
How much?: Chauncey Billups’ net worth scrutinized after stunning FBI arrest
Thoughts and prayers: Who is Alex Vesia’s wife after sudden World Series departure?
Tigers whimper: Lane Kiffin’s daughter Landry reveals LSU fit looking sad in ugly loss
For real?: Aaron Rodgers’ secret wife Brittani remains a mystery with details murky

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.