While many people grew up around the love of their father, others did not. The latter is true for the NBA superstar LeBron James. LeBron, popularly known as King James, grew up with his mother, Gloria James.
Anthony McClelland, the man rumored to be LeBron’s father, was never present in his son’s life. As a result, LeBron James had no father figure to look up to. The NBA star lived with his mother, Gloria James, and her mother, Freda James.
After her mother’s death, Gloria was forced to fend for her son and her siblings by herself. Consequently, the basketball legend and his mother had to jump from one apartment to another because Gloria could not get a job.
LeBron James’ mother wanted him to grow up in a stable family, so she sent him to live with a football coach who later helped him nurture his basketball talent. The absence of a father figure fueled the basketball superstar’s motivation to become the man he is today.
Who Is Anthony McClelland?
Anthony McClelland is the father of one of the greatest NBA players of all time, LeBron James. McClelland and LeBron’s mother, Gloria James, were casually dating when she became pregnant with LeBron. Gloria James was sixteen at the time, and she lived with her mother, Freda James.
McClelland left Gloria and was never present, even after she had LeBron. He was never present in LeBron’s life, never paid child support, and reportedly has an extensive criminal record.
Does Anthony McClelland Have a Career?
There isn’t much information about Anthony McClelland and his career. However, the father of the superstar basketball player chose the wrong career path at a young age. Anthony McClelland hardly ever earned a good living as he was taken into custody on charges of petty crimes.
He was arrested for theft and arson in 2002 and has allegedly been in and out of jail for other petty crimes since then. In addition to frequently going in and out of jail, McClelland is only known for abandoning his son.
Does LeBron’s Dad Have Other Children?
Aside from the NBA legend LeBron James, there were rumors that McClelland had an affair with another woman shortly after he left Gloria James. The identity of the woman is still a mystery. However, he also reportedly impregnated her.
Anthony McClelland abandoned her after she gave birth to his son, LeBron James’ half-brother, Aaron McClelland Gamble. Aaron tried to contact his half-brother, but the NBA star is not interested in forming a relationship. Moreover, it wouldn’t be the first time someone random has claimed to be related to the NBA star in hopes of getting some attention and financial support.
Did Anthony McClelland’s Absence Influence LeBron’s Success?
While Anthony McClelland shuffled between jail due to his extensive criminal record, LeBron had his fair share of struggles. As a kid growing up without a father figure in Ohio, life was not easy for the basketballer. However, the NBA star never let his father’s absence affect his dreams. He made it his strength and fueled his passion for basketball.
LeBron attended a white-dominated school; he was on the school’s varsity basketball team. The NBA star caused a considerable stir in the school’s varsity team because of his outstanding performance. He was named “Ohio Mr. Basketball” and appeared in basketball magazines before debuting professionally in 2003. Twenty seasons later, he surpassed Kareem Abdul Jabar to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.
In one of his Instagram posts, LeBron admitted that he worked harder and followed his dreams passionately because of his father’s absence. In a post that he captioned “Because of you, pops,” the NBA star opens up about his absent father’s influence on his career.
Where Is Anthony McClelland Now?
The basketball star’s father is living in Ohio, United States. Despite his criminal record, LeBron James’ father keeps a low profile and reportedly lives a crime-free life. He is also trying to clean up the mess he made in his life.
Anthony McClelland is reportedly attempting to rekindle a healthy relationship with his son. The basketballer’s father is also consciously staying out of the media for the peace of his famous son.
What Is Anthony McClelland’s Net Worth?
Unfortunately, Anthony McClelland has wholly disappeared from the spotlight, and there is no verified information about how much the NBA player’s father is worth. There are no details regarding any legitimate job that could be his source of income, and as a result, the star’s father does not have a net worth.
Although his absence positively impacted the basketball player’s life, McClelland is trying to compensate for it. But will there ever be a reconciliation between the two? Only time will tell.