LeBron James has stirred up a bit of controversy. After sharing bold new comments on the city of Memphis, Tennessee, during a recent golf outing, social media users have taken to different forums to blast the Los Angeles Lakers star, claiming he went too far.
LeBron James Makes Bold New Comments About Memphis, Tennessee, During A Golf Outing
James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, appeared in a new “Bob Does Sports” video and explained why he believed the league should move out of Memphis.
“Staying at the f-cking Hyatt at 41 years old. You think I wanna do that sh-t?” he said in the now-viral clip. “Being in Memphis on a f-cking random -ss Thursday?”
James said the NBA should move the team to Nashville instead, citing the city’s hockey team, Vanderbilt University, and NASCAR.
James made it clear that he would never entertain the idea of playing for Memphis’ team, the Grizzlies.
“Yeah, they know,” he said. “Their only chance was in 2003 if they won the lottery, and I might’ve pulled an Eli Manning and not shown up.”
LeBron James Is Not The Only NBA Star To Speak Out About Playing In Memphis
James is the latest NBA player to speak out about what it’s like to play in Memphis.
Anthony Edwards also shared his thoughts in February 2026, calling out the cleanliness of some of the city’s establishments.
“Especially when we go to Memphis, I be like, ‘Damn,'” Edwards said. “Them hotels ain’t nothing in Memphis. Them sheets be dirty. I walked into a Memphis hotel one time, it had stains and sh-t on the bed.”
After that, Golden State Warriors standout Draymond Green echoed Edwards’ comments about the city’s hotels, saying his team stopped staying there because of faulty plumbing.
“We stopped staying there because their sprinklers just went off for no reason in the room. Drenched all of Andrew Bogut’s stuff, and they didn’t want to do anything about it. So, it’s been an issue,” Green said.
Hospitality Expert Responds To NBA Players’ Comments About The Hotel Scene In Memphis
Edwards and Green’s comments gained significant traction among Tennessee locals and hospitality experts, particularly Carol Slikes, the unit coordinator of Hospitality and Resort Management at the Kemmons Wilson School.
While speaking with Action News 5, Silkes said there are certain things out of her team’s control. “It is the NBA that designates the contract,” Silkes said.
They went on to say that it’s hard to accommodate certain requests and demands from professional athletes because Memphis is not a “Tier A” city.
Despite that, Silkes boasted about Memphis and all that the city has to offer its residents and visitors.
“We are a Grit and Grind City — the thing is we are resilient — it’s our hotel association and our hotel owners in what we do deliver,” she said.
LeBron James Sparks Controversy After Comments About Memphis Go Viral
On X, social media users voiced their disappointment with James for appearing to speak down on Memphis.
“Well, this is extremely disappointing to see,” someone posted. “LEAVE US ALONE!!!!! Memphis has plenty to do and most importantly, a devoted fanbase that loves their team. So tired of this narrative.”
Another user questioned how James could “talk down on cities like Memphis,” given that a large part of his brand is about how he made it out of Akron, Ohio.
“You from the slums, G, you should show more love to these cities instead of sh–in on em,” they added.
“It is actually extremely disappointing and painful to see so many people talk down on the city of Memphis and suggesting our ONE franchise move to Nashville, especially considering the racial/socioeconomic undertones and tension when discussing the two cities as is,” a third wrote.
Some Users Come To James’ Defense
The response wasn’t all bad, though, as some Instagram users defended the NBA champion while dismissing the critics.
“Y’all be crying about the most senseless stuff,” someone said, while another wrote, “God forbid somebody have an opinion.”
“I live in Memphis, and I agree,” another wrote. “I’ve heard a bunch of players saying they hate coming here and don’t feel safe here. I don’t blame them!”
“I see his point,” a third said, while a fourth wrote, “He right. It’s a better market; Memphis ain’t it.”