Lakers’ LeBron James reveals how being a girl dad has ‘softened me up’

Things change quickly in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers celebrated a 129-101 win over the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, with LeBron James running the show with 20 first-half points.

Luka Doncic, who celebrated his 27th birthday on February 28, top-scored with 26 points while Austin Reaves had 18 to round off a comfortable victory in the absence of Stephen Curry, among others. However, at least a similar amount of attention went to LeBron’s 11-year-old daughter Zhuri James, who did a heartwarming shootaround with her dad before the game.

“It’s special, it’s special, it’s definitely softened me up over the last 11 years. I had two boys to begin with but it’s special to have her. It’s a different type of love between girls and boys. It’s tough love when it comes to my boys. I yell at them and stuff whatever, you know they take it, they know how to approach it, it’s different, a little softer when I it’s my daughter,” James said per a clip on X by BronMuse, speaking about the impact his daughter has had over him.

"It's special. It's definitely softened me up over the last 11 years"

– Lebron on being a girl dad. pic.twitter.com/MgnecIIr3J

— BronMuse (@BronMuse) March 1, 2026

The session featured Zhuri mirroring her father’s dribbling drills and successfully sinking a backward over-the-head trick shot from the free-throw line after several attempts and some coaching from the 41-year-old. The interaction culminated in Zhuri tossing an alley-oop to the 41-year-old James for a pre-game slam, followed by their signature handshake and an exchange of “I love you” before tipoff, per Seattlepi.

“I don’t know. I tried to make sure I was in front of the basket,” Zhuri said when asked how she ended up making the basket.

Regardless, fans will be happy that LeBron is not growing soft on the court as he would arguably have had a better answer to questions about his own shooting, considering he went 7-13 on the night, contributing well in the Lakers’ overall 53.3% efficiency. They also went a staggering 46.1% from the three-point zone, compared to the Warriors’ 45.1% overall efficiency and 27.3% from beyond the arc.

For the Warriors, Gui Santos top-scored with 14 points while Moses Moody and Gary Payton II added 12 each, the latter off the bench. The Lakers brought an end to a three-game losing streak and will now take on the Sacramento Kings next.

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