LeBron James on why he worried Bronny might not make it home if stopped by police in 2016: "It's a scary thought right now"

Back in 2016, during a Cleveland Cavaliers media day, LeBron James opened up about the fears of raising three children in today's society, especially his oldest, Bronny.

At 12, Bronny was first in line among the James kids, with Bryce and Zhuri, to start working toward his driver's license. For his NBA superstar dad, it was a frightening thought, not because he doubted his son's potential skills behind the wheel.

"I look at my son (Bronny) being four years removed from driving his own car and being able to leave the house on his own, and it's a scary thought right now to think if my son gets pulled over," admitted James, per ESPN.

Bron was grappling with fears

James has been under media scrutiny since his teenage years and faced countless high-pressure moments on the hardwood. Despite that, he has risen to global stardom, living a life many can only dream of. Yet even with all that success, the basketball icon has fears — some beyond anyone's control.

When James spoke about those very fears in 2016, the country was paying closer attention than ever to police encounters and racial disparities — a glance at social media at the time made this clear.

Whether on Instagram, X (then-Twitter) or Facebook, videos were showing Black Americans — especially young men — facing tense or risky situations during routine traffic stops.

A Washington Post report that year found Black drivers were nearly twice as likely to be pulled over as white drivers. Even more troubling, such stops could escalate quickly even when there was no clear reason — drivers could be questioned aggressively for minor equipment issues, routine traffic infractions or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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Playing by the rules offered no guarantees

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar has long spoken out on political and social issues and was aware of the troubling realities. Not turning a blind eye, he did what he could: talking with his kids, teaching them how to handle traffic stops, and explaining that things would likely go smoothly if they listened to officers and stayed calm.

Yet even with guidance, LeBron worried whether following the rules would be enough, especially for Bronny, who had just started sixth grade.

"You see these videos that continue to come out, and it's a scary a– situation that if my son calls me and says that he's been pulled over that I'm not that confident that things are going to go well and my son is going to return home," admitted the four-time MVP.

Despite these fears, James felt it was crucial to keep discussing racial disparities in policing — not because he or anyone else had all the answers, but to raise awareness and spark conversation.

"I'm not up here saying that all police are bad, because they're not. I'm not up here saying all kids are great or all adults are great, because they're not. But at the same time, all lives do matter. It's not just black or white; it's not that. It's everyone," he emphasized.

Interestingly, in 2022, LeBron and Bronny reportedly faced problems on the road. However, it wasn't because of an ugly run-in with the police, but because the NBA's first father-son duo to share the court were said to be involved in a minor collision in Littlerock, California.

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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.