LeBron James has addressed a frightening incident after an alleged stalker was arrested outside his Los Angeles home on Friday morning.
The Los Angeles Lakers star said his family is safe after the unsettling episode, which led to a man being booked on suspicion of felony stalking.
Reports state that the unidentified suspect had been loitering outside the NBA legend’s residence and bizarrely told police he was James’ son when officers approached him.
“My family is safe, and that’s the most important thing,” James told reporters Sunday when asked about the incident, according to ESPN’s Kris Rhim.
“We’re still looking into everything,” added the four-time NBA champion, who offered few further details while the investigation continues.
It is not known whether James’ wife, Savannah, or their 12-year-old daughter, Zhuri, was inside the sprawling property when the arrest took place.
LeBron James has broken his silence after a terrifying incident saw an alleged stalker arrested outside his Los Angeles home on Friday morning
James himself was away on a road trip when the incident occurred, as he was in Ohio preparing to play the Cleveland Cavaliers later that night.
His eldest son, Bronny, was also away from the property after being assigned to the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, that same day.
Fortunately, TMZ reported that the suspect did not manage to breach the property or enter the James family residence before authorities intervened.
The veteran NBA star is no longer living in his Los Angeles mansion after leaving the Lakers and opting to head east in free agency.
He is instead living in New York City and commuting to Philadelphia via helicopter in a controversial travel arrangement.
However, he has left his wife, Savannah, and their daughter, Zhuri, back at his California home, with Savannah recently explaining their family decision to stay behind.
In an appearance on the ‘Baby, This is Keke Palmer’ podcast, Savannah explained: ‘[Zhuri] was trying to figure it out. Like, ‘So, am I not going to see him? How is this going to work?
‘But we also [told] her, ‘So, you can go to school, we can go to New York, we can go to Philly.’ And she’s actually like, ‘Yeah, no.”
James is now living in New York but his wife and daughter have remained in California
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Ultimately, the 12-year-old daughter of the NBA scoring leader didn’t want to leave her friends and teammates on her volleyball team.
‘[Zhuri said,] ‘I don’t want to be away from school for that long. I still want to play with my teammates,” Savannah said.
‘So, she really was just kind of like, ‘Okay, we’ll still visit. I’ll have my time, but I still get to go and do what I want to do with my friends and my teammates.”
At media day ahead of the new season, James referenced his decision to leave his family behind for the season.
‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round,’ he said: ‘I know that, for sure. So work needs to be done, and I’m ready to put the work in’
The James family will be able to see their father play in Los Angeles on Christmas Day when the Lakers host the Sixers.
