Is LeBron James a Yankees fan?
Reportedly, yes. LeBron James is a New York Yankees fan, according to CNN.
LeBron James Full fan file: every team he roots for, with receipts
“James, from nearby Akron, Ohio, actually grew up rooting for the New York Yankees.”
Reported by CNN, October 24, 2016. Backed by FanSided (2023).
Last checked November 4, 2026: the quote still matched the page word for word.
When he was a kid, the New York Yankees won the World Series in 1996, the year he turned 12; the World Series in 1998, the year he turned 14; the World Series in 1999, the year he turned 15; and the World Series in 2000, the year he turned 16.
CNN reported on October 24, 2016, that LeBron James "actually grew up rooting for the New York Yankees." The line comes from a CNN writer, not from James, so the claim stands as a report by an outlet and not a statement he made himself. The sentence describes him as being "from nearby Akron, Ohio."
What has LeBron James said about the New York Yankees?
FanSided published a quote from James on October 13, 2023, in which he said: "I loved the Bulls, Cowboys and loved the Yankees." The quote is past tense and sits inside a list of teams, so it points to the childhood loyalty CNN described. It does not say whether the feeling carried into adulthood.
Did LeBron James grow up a Yankees fan?
According to CNN, yes. The report places the fandom in his childhood, and the FanSided quote matches that. James was born December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, and attended high school in Akron. Yankees titles fall in his pre-teen and teenage years: the World Series in 1996, when he turned 12, in 1998, when he turned 14, in 1999, when he turned 15, and in 2000, when he turned 16.
Does the Yankees fandom fit where he is from?
The Yankees are a New York team, and James is from Akron, so the loyalty does not follow geography. CNN flagged exactly that with the word "actually," since his hometown is nearby Ohio. His other teams are mostly local ones: the Cleveland Browns, in his own words, and the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Guardians, both reported. His career began with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who drafted him first overall in 2003, and he later played for the Miami Heat, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Yankees are the baseball team that sits apart from that local pattern.
Which other athletes are Yankees fans?
Karl-Anthony Towns is also reported to be a Yankees fan.
Questions people ask
Is LeBron James a Yankees fan?
Reportedly, yes. CNN reported in October 2016 that he grew up rooting for the New York Yankees, and he named the Yankees among teams he loved in a quote published by FanSided in October 2023.
When did LeBron James become a Yankees fan?
The fandom dates to his childhood, according to CNN. No specific year or moment is given.
Does LeBron James like the New York Yankees?
He said "I loved the Bulls, Cowboys and loved the Yankees," as published by FanSided in 2023. That is past tense and does not describe how he feels now.
Which other athletes are Yankees fans?
Karl-Anthony Towns is reported to be a Yankees fan.