Sauce Gardner Says LeBron James Played Matchmaker in His Relationship with Ice Spice
New York Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner recently credited NBA legend LeBron James with helping him meet his now-girlfriend, rapper Ice Spice. In a conversation with TMZ, Gardner revealed that the two first connected during an April 2024 taping of James’ podcast, The Shop. The episode featured a notable lineup — Gardner, Ice Spice, Chad Johnson, and Travis Scott — and it was there that sparks began to fly. According to Gardner, the chemistry from that appearance led to the two staying in touch and eventually forming a relationship.
While Gardner’s personal life appears to be thriving, his professional career hit some bumps during the 2025 NFL season. Despite earning his second consecutive All-Pro selection and playing 15 games at a high level, the Jets as a team struggled mightily. Gardner didn’t hold back his frustrations, publicly stating that the team has talented individuals but has failed to bring it all together — comments that drew attention and reflected a sense of urgency within the organization.
Still only three seasons into his NFL career, Gardner has firmly established himself as one of the league’s elite defensive backs. And while the Jets look to regroup and turn things around on the field, Gardner will at least be enjoying some stability and happiness off it — with an unexpected assist from LeBron James helping make that possible.
