‘He Probably Had His Side Chicks Sign NDAs’: Fans Rush to LeBron James’ Defense After Heartwarming Tribute to Wife Savannah Brings Up Infidelity Rumors
Power forward LeBron James has been at the top of his game since he entered the NBA in 2003 as the #1 draft pick at the age of 18.
Like many of his peers — Chiney Ogwumike, Nikola Jokic, Josh Hart, and Chris Paul — he married his high school sweetheart, in his case Savannah James, and he has publicly professed his undying love for her to the world.
Still, numerous rumors claiming he has been unfaithful allegations have circulated within the league and on social media.
“SportsCenter” recently posted a few quotes from James’s interview with Andscape, where he spoke about his wife of 21 years after winning his third Olympic medal win.
“My wife takes care of my business, man. She’s the best. Without her, I wouldn’t even be in this position,” he told a reporter. “To be able to do what I do and love the game. I love it. So, to have my wife and my two boys and my daughter here and the rest of my family here, it was everything.”
Another slide quoted James as saying that his family “means everything” to him, followed by pictures of him, his wife, their two sons, Bronny and Bryce, and daughter, Zhuri at the ESPYs last year. During the June 2023 ceremony, Savannah spoke proudly about her husband after presenting him with the Best Record-Breaking Performance ESPY award.
“I think LeBron James is the baddest mother—,” she said to crowd before Zhuri interrupted, saying, “Mom.”
The final video shows James making an acceptance speech after his historic achievement of becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, where he declared, “My beautiful wife has been … I mean she’s the real MVP, if you want to be completely honest. She’s actually the all-time leading scorer.”
Fans quickly took to the comment section to share their thoughts, with many celebrating his love for his wife and family.
One person commented, “Savannah & LeBron are goals,” while a second added, “Behind every great man, there is a greater woman. I love this family.”
Someone else even dubbed Savannah his “LeTrophy Wife,” celebrating just how ideal a basketball wife she is.
However, not everyone was convinced that LeBron is the ideal model husband, father and role model.
One of the 38.9 million “SportsCenter” followers remarked, “That man cheats on her all the time.”
When asked for proof, another person quipped, “He’s a professional athlete. That’s honestly all the proof you need. He probably had his side chicks sign NDAs like all the other athletes do.”
Another person brought up past scandals regarding his fidelity, writing, “He’s slid into Heidi Hoback’s DMs. Look it up.”
Back in 2017, Instagram model and influencer Heidi V. Hoback posted her exchanges with the NBA superstar on snapchat with special message.
“Athletes slide in girls dms all the time so this isn’t the craziest part but sheesh … biggest buck I’ve ever seen over here,” Hoback wrote, according to Brobible, over a message allegedly from James that read, “Teach me how to hunt and I’ll teach you to play ball. Deal? Lol.”
In another post, Hoback blocked her replies with a slew of skull emojis, and said, “To anyone saying his avi wasn’t the same. Y’all love to hate It was a funny story, sorry I shared.” The post reveals James’ alleged reply where he said, “Wow!!! No freaking way. Where are you?”
Hoback claimed she had no idea LeBron was married but thought she was sharing an “innocent” exchange that turned into a “bigger deal” in a since-deleted YouTube video.
The “Space Jame: A New Legacy” star has faced multiple accusations of infidelity over the years, though none have been substantiated.
When model Rachel Bush claimed that LeBron sent her a DM on Instagram in 2016, people speculated that the two were having an affair, which both parties denied, according to the New York Post.
Rumor Control: Model Rachel Bush Explains What Happened When Lebron James Slid In Her DM’s https://t.co/NiGXeCBGCn pic.twitter.com/8UrGXSmt6k
— Bossip (@Bossip) April 13, 2016
In 2020, the Ohio native was linked to Sofia Jamora when Erza Haliti, wife of then-Denver Broncos tight end Nick Vannett, accused LeBron of cheating on his wife with the white model.
Haliti wrote on her Instagram Story, “Am I the only one that’s not a fan of LeBron? I guess I’ve never been a fan of guys that cheat on their wives, especially with @sofiajamora.”
Those rumors were quashed when Jamora took to social media and stated, “1. I was never with LeBron nor do I know who he is. 2. I’m not white,” as reported by the Basketball Network.
Though there have been other allegations over the years, none have been substantiated, and the couple appears to be Teflon-strong in every interview and social media post.
Fans rallied to defend their relationship after the shady comments reignited the unfounded rumors.
One person added, “They gonna hate him for loving his wife and holding her so high. Meanwhile, Kobe was doing God knows what while he was with Vanessa.”
In fact, when Savannah launched her new podcast, “Everybody’s Crazy,” LeBron was one of the first to help her promote it, even making a video call during the premiere episode in April. Their chemistry was undeniable, with many laughing at how playful the couple is with each other.
This kind of relationship is special. With Savannah weathering all the cheating allegations, raising their family, moving from team to team and still being regarded as one of the most beautiful wives of the NBA.