LeBron James' Father: Who Is Anthony McClelland?

LeBron James is the most polarizing player in the NBA today and arguably the most of all time. The same can be said about his play, as he's often regarded as the greatest or at least one of the greatest players of all time.

LeBron has won four NBA titles, four MVPs, and four Finals MVPs, and that's only the tip of the iceberg of his achievements. He started his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers but has also played for the Miami Heat, and he's now with the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron was born on December 30, 1984, to Gloria James. Gloria was 16 years old when she had LeBron, and things would be difficult since LeBron's father was not in the picture.

LeBron's biological father is a man named Anthony McClelland, and he has an interesting backstory, to say the least. McClelland is believed to have had a casual relationship with Gloria James, which led to the birth of LeBron.

After LeBron was born, McClelland was out of the picture, spending a lot of time in prison for various reasons, including arson and theft. To this day, LeBron has never met Anthony McClelland, and I doubt he ever will, as LeBron hasn't needed him this far into his life.

It's been said that McClelland tried to reconnect with LeBron in 2002, but LeBron declined. At this time, LeBron was starting to get the hype of being the next great basketball player, so it's pretty obvious why McClelland would now want to be a part of LeBron's life. 

So, we know McClelland has a criminal background, but there's apparently more to his story. The question that has to be asked now is: Who Is Anthony McClelland?

Who Is Anthony McClelland?

Anthony McClelland is believed to be LeBron James' biological father, even though others have claimed they are his father. This includes a man named Leicester Bryce Stovell, who sued LeBron over being his father. Of course, the DNA test proved Stovell was not LeBron's father. 

Now, when it comes to Anthony McClelland, there's some mystery around him, as he's apparently been known by another name. Roland Bivens is a name that's been mentioned to possibly be LeBron's father.  

It's been reported that Bivens was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1994. There have been claims that not only was Bivens not killed, but Bivens is McClelland, and he changed his name to Anthony McClelland to escape jail time.

It hasn't been confirmed if this story is true. Either way, if it's Bivens or McClelland, or if they're the same person, they were not present in LeBron's life. 

LeBron always felt resentment toward his father, but in 2014, he sent a message to McClelland on Instagram, expressing his gratitude for not having him around.

“Like, 'Wow, Dad, you know what, I don't know you, I have no idea who you are, but because of you is part of the reason who I am today.' The fuel that I use—you not being there—it's part of the reason I grew up to become who I am. It's part of the reason why I want to be hands-on with my endeavors... So me in a position allowing people around me to grow, that maybe wouldn't have happened if I had two parents, two sisters, a dog, and a picket fence, you know?"

This quote LeBron shared on his Instagram photo is touching. It shows that LeBron, even though he may still be upset that he grew up without a father, knows that he wouldn't be the man he is today without growing up in that situation.

So, by knowing how LeBron James feels about his biological father and knowing that LeBron has no interest in meeting the man, there's only one thing left to do. That's to dive deeper into finding out who Anthony McClelland is. 

Anthony McClelland Facts

Full Name - Anthony McClelland

Date of Birth - November 23, 1972 (rumored)

Birth Place - Akron, Ohio

Residence - Akron, Ohio

Nationality - American

Ethnicity - African American

Age - At least 49

Gender - Male

Sexual Orientation - Straight

Height - 6'7”

Weight - Not Available

Hair Color - Black

Eye Color - Dark Brown

Marital Status - Unmarried

Former Partner - Gloria James

Children - LeBron James, Aaron McClelland Gamble

High School - Not Available

Profession - Not Available

Net Worth - Not Available

Salary - Not Available

Social Media - Not Available

As you can see, there isn't a lot of information on the man who is presumed to be LeBron James' father, but from what we know about him (his criminal past), it's probably a good thing that he wasn't in LeBron's life.

From what we know, McClelland attended the same high school in Akron, Ohio, with LeBron's mother, and that's when they developed a casual relationship. It's been said that McClelland was known to play basketball in the neighborhood.

There's even a famous photo of McClelland in a basketball uniform where he looks strikingly like LeBron.

Today, LeBron James is a great father of three to his wife, Savannah James. LeBron even has a plan to play alongside not only his oldest son, LeBron "Bronny" James Jr. but also his younger son, Bryce Maximus James, in the NBA.

This would be great to see LeBron playing alongside his two sons in the NBA. It may or may not happen, but what is truly great to see is how great of a dad LeBron James has turned out to be.