Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James infuriated thousands of Memphis residents by suggesting the Memphis Grizzlies need to move locations.
The Grizzlies serve as the city’s only ‘Big Four’ professional sports team and are a point of pride with Memphians.
But in a recent video filmed on a golf course with content creators ‘Bob Does Sports,’ the 41-year-old star ripped into the city and uttered his belief that the team should move.
James said he feels weary when visiting the city and finds it boring. Apparently, he says he’s not the only one who has encouraged team owners to consider a move.
‘I’m not even, like, the first guy to talk about it in the NBA,’ James said in the video.
‘We’re all, like, “You guys have to move.” Just go over to Nashville. You’ve got Vanderbilt [University] over there. You’ve got the f***ing NASCAR. You’ve got a stadium. Don’t they got a hockey team, too? They’ve got everything.’
LeBron James has drawn criticism for his negative comments about the city of Memphis
James railed against the city of Memphis saying many NBA players have told the team to move
Yes, they do have a hockey team – the Nashville Predators – who play in Bridgestone Arena, where an NBA team would play. They also have an NFL team and are frequently in discussions for Major League Baseball expansion. All this is to say that a basketball team would join what could be a very crowded sports market.
James went on to add that there wasn’t any way he would play in a Grizzlies uniform, which is an intriguing insight considering Memphis finished second in the 2003 NBA Draft lottery. Winning that lottery would have given them the chance to draft James.
‘They know,’ James said. ‘Their only chance was in 2003 if they ever won the lottery. And I might have pulled an Eli Manning and not showed up.’
James’ comments drew plenty of criticism from not only residents of Memphis, but also from NBA coaches.
‘I can say from my own perspective that I have the complete opposite, 180-degree perspective on that,’ said Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo. ‘The Memphis where we have arrived less than two years ago has been very warm. Very welcoming.’
Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, a former Memphis assistant, added his own thoughts: ‘I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks. I love the people of Memphis. I love the food. I love every single time I come over here.’
Grizzlies beat reporter Jessica Benson posted to her X account about how ‘the parade of s***ting on Memphis is tired, cruel and so incredibly misguided.’
‘The way people talk about this city is nuts,’ she added. ‘Happy to give any NBA player (or anyone!) an itinerary the next time they’re in town to debunk this absurdity.’
Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo (L) and Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic (R) both expressed their love for the city counter to what James said in public
This year, James released a pair of sneakers to ‘honor’ Martin Luther King – using the teal coloring of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis where King was shot and killed in 1968
However, James is not the only NBA figure to speak out about the troubles of Memphis. Last summer, when it was revealed that Jimmy Butler rejected a trade to the Grizzlies, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith railed against the city.
‘It’s a great sports town, great fans, great people,’ Smith said on an episode of First Take. ‘But there’s an element there where cats like Jimmy Butler and others don’t feel it’s the safest environment.
‘I’m talking to the local authorities in Memphis. You’ve got to clean some of that stuff up because it’s dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They’ve told me.’
James must not be fully in the negative camp for the city of Memphis considering he used an iconic and tragic city landmark for one of his shoes.
This past January, he released a pair of teal colored shoes for Martin Luther King Day which took inspiration from the Lorraine Motel where the civil rights leader was murdered.
