Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ESPYA lot of people love LeBron James, but his no. 1 fan is actually someone who knew him before his days as one of basketball's biggest stars—his wife, Savannah Brinson.
Brinson started dating James when she was just 16 years old. According to Harper's Bazaar, the two attended rival high schools and met at a football game. After James invited her to watch him play, they reportedly talked on the phone and had their first date at Outback Steakhouse.
Even though James covered Sports Illustrated his junior year, Brinson didn't think her beau would go on to become the NBA legend he is today.
"I just thought he'd be a hometown hero for his era and it would be over," she told Harper's Bazaar. "He was a normal high school senior."
The two went on to tie the knot in 2013. They share three children together—LeBron Jr., Bryce and Zhuri.
However, James isn't the only athlete to marry a school sweetheart. In honor the 2018 ESPY Awards this week, here's a look at more sports stars who married their middle school, high school or college love.
LeBron James and his wife Savannah Brinson are high school sweethearts. According to Harper's Bazaar, the two attended rival high schools and met at a football game. The rest, as they say, is history.
Talk about an athletic couple! In 2016, Carli Lloyd married her high school sweetheart Brian Hollins, who is a professional golfer.
Jordy Nelson has known his wife Emily since early childhood. However, their romance didn't blossom until middle school. During an interview on The Dan Le Batard Show, the former Green Bay Packers wide receiver admitted Emily dumped him in the seventh grade. Luckily, the two rekindled their romance their freshman year of high school.
Couples goals! Alex Morgan met her husband Servando Carrasco in college. Both played soccer at University of California-Berkeley. The two rang in 2015 by tying the knot. That same year Morgan and the U.S. Women's National Team went on to win the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Drew Brees met his wife Brittany his sophomore year at Purdue University.
"I made a real fool of myself when I first met her," the New Orleans Saints quarterback told ESPN the Magazine. "It was when I was a sophomore. It was my 20th birthday and I'd had about 17 shots and put my foot in my mouth. It was a typical football player cheesy line—we'll leave it at that. It took me six months to get the courage to talk to her again. I finagled my way to get invited to a party that I knew she'd be at."
Clayton Kershaw and his wife Ellen started dating in high school. According to ESPN, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher asked her out in between classes in the ninth grade. Per the media outlet, their first dates involved working on homework at Ellen's house.
According to Essence, Chris Paul met his wife Jada while attending Wake Forest University. The basketball player and his sweetheart tied the knot in 2011 and have two kids.
The ESPY Awards take place July 18.