LeBron James’ daughter refused to move with him and leave Los Angeles behind
With her father starting a new chapter in Philadelphia, Zhuri wanted to hold on to the life she had built in Los Angeles
When LeBron James left the Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers, the move brought a family question with it: Would Savannah and the kids go, too? For 12-year-old Zhuri, the answer came down to what felt right for her at this point in her life . She had a world of her own in Los Angeles, and she was not ready to leave it behind.
Savannah explained on Baby, This Is Keke Palmer that she and LeBron gave Zhuri the option of going to school in Philadelphia or New York . But Zhuri wanted to stay close to her friends, keep going to school in LA and play volleyball with her teammates. “I still want to play with my teammates,” she told her parents.
Zhuri wanted to keep the life she had built in LA
At 12, leaving means more than changing addresses. Zhuri had already found her place at school and on her volleyball team, surrounded by friends and teammates she knew. While her father began a new chapter with the 76ers, she chose to keep building the one she had started in Los Angeles.
She also wanted to know how the distance would work and whether she would still see her dad. Savannah said the family reassured Zhuri that they would visit one another . Knowing she could stay in LA and still spend time with LeBron helped make the decision feel manageable.
The move has left Savannah balancing family life across several cities. She and Zhur i are based in Los Angeles, where Bronny also plays for the Lakers; Bryce is in Tucson, attending the University of Arizona and playing for the Wildcats.
New York will serve as a hub for family visits, with Philadelphia another regular stop to see LeBron. Savannah described the challenge as figuring out how to be “three places at once.”
LeBron signed with the 76ers in July after eight seasons with the Lakers, beginning a new chapter in his 24th NBA season . For Savannah, the change is an adjustment, but she said she has become more comfortable with the idea that the family can visit and make the arrangement work. Five years ago, she recalled, she might have expected everyone to pack up and move together.
Now, the James family is finding a way to support each person’s path, even when those paths lead to different cities.
Zhuri can stay close to her school, friends and volleyball team while keeping time with her father. For Savannah, making room for both is part of helping the family move into its next chapter together.
