It’s not often that we hear from Savannah James, wife of NBA superstar LeBron James. But her latest opinion has folks all over the internet divided on friendship etiquette, flying first class, and whether or not your rich friend should cover your tab. Don’t worry, we’ll explain.
In the latest episode of Boardroom’s Mental Wealth podcast, James and her best friend April McDaniel stopped by to discuss their 15-year friendship, how it’s evolved now that they’re business partners, and the different ways they approach money. While the nearly hour-long conversation was filled with insight, there was one moment that has become the talk of the timelines.
James mentioned that she doesn’t feel obligated to pay for her friend’s first-class flight ticket whenever they’re traveling together. She went on to explain that they’re all “respectful of her situation” and don’t expect her to just dish out money due to her financial status.
Related: What Savannah James’ Hermès Incident Reveals About Luxury Brands and Black Consumers
“I’ve never had an instance…If I’m like ‘we’re going somewhere,’ they already understand what it is. There’s no expectation of [me] taking care of something or just having me be responsible for them,” she explained.
McDaniel then interjected to explain that they both acknowledge that they live completely different lifestyles and they’re not “delusional” about it. She said that if they’re going on a trip together, she doesn’t feel compelled to fly first class the way James might because it’s just not in her budget. (However, that doesn’t stop McDaniel from occasionally sneaking up to first with James and enjoying the amenities that come with it.)
As the clip made the rounds on social media, many were torn about how they felt about James’ perspective. Some felt that James was a bad friend, arguing that, considering how much money she has in her household, paying for a friend’s first-class ticket is chump change.
“This ain’t it. If that’s my real friend, either we both in the back or we both in the front, but ain’t no ‘I’ll catch you when we land.’ Maybe Savannah is more her friend than she is Savannah’s friend. Women be funny like that sometimes,” wrote one user on X/Twitter.
“It was better when we didn’t hear from Savannah James,” said another.
One other user wrote, “I feel like Savannah might not have access to the funds like we think she does because your whole ass husband is LeBron James. What you mean you’re not even offering to pay for your lifelong bestie to fly first class with you?”
Added another: “Oh, Savannah is NOT my type of woman! If I’m balling & I call you my SISTER, BITCH, Good Friend, etc…We’re both flying private, OR we’re both flying Economy. Women that do silent superiority flexes are WEIRD & CORNY!”
However, the other half of the internet saw the value in James’ words and felt as if she was moving smartly by not always dishing out her coins for friends all the time or giving in to friends’ entitled thinking.
“This convo around April and Savannah is weird, and people aren’t listening to the clips. April isn’t broke. Flies business class. Ain’t like she’s in the back of the plane,” wrote New York Times Best-Selling author Luvvie Ajayi on Threads. “Savannah flying first does not entitle her friends to be in first with her. So every time you have a girls’ trip, you gotta put up money to make sure everyone is in the same cabin? Come on. There’s a difference between being a giver and playing Captain Save Everyone, making yourself overly responsible to everyone you love.”
“Y’all mad at Savannah James, but abandon y’all friends the SECOND y’all get TSA PreCheck,” joked another person.
One other user argued that James has given McDaniel something more valuable than a first-class ticket: access to influential people, platforms, and opportunities to build her own wealth.
“Y’all are arguing over a first-class flight when I think Savannah James has given April something far more valuable, which is ACCESS,” the person on Threads said. “She’s given her a platform and put her in rooms and in front of people that can help her create her OWN generational wealth. That’s worth far more than a first-class ticket. But somehow…y’all are stuck on the seat she flies in.”
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