LeBron James reacts to controversial Memphis comments

LeBron James made headlines last week after he dissed the Memphis Grizzlies, suggesting that they should change their NBA team city.

The Los Angeles Lakers star caused an uproar with his latest comments about Memphis, Tennessee, which is a largely-Black populated city as many residents took offense to the NBA star’s suggestion. While LeBron was playing golf on an April 2 episode of the YouTube series Bob Does Sports, he said the Grizzlies should permanently move to Nashville and also shared similar sentiments about Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is home to the Milwaukee Bucks.

“You think I want to do that being in Memphis on a random ass Thursday? I’m not like the first guy even talk about in NBA,” he said. “You guys have to move. Let’s go over to Nashville. You’ve got Vanderbilt over there. You’ve got the NASCAR. You’ve got a stadium. Don’t they got a hockey team, too?”

Many fans shared their outrage for LeBron’s comments online, with one fan writing on X: “Memphis, just like Baltimore, and chicago.. is a historical black city that was stomping ground for black civil rights for well over a century. They’re underfunded on purpose as punishment to this very day. Sad to see you guys give excuses to lebron.”

Stephen A. Smith, who has had a tumultuous relationship with the NBA star, also called him out for dissing a predominantly Black city in front of “white dudes.”

“We can’t throw shade on LeBron until we take into account knowing that 63 percent of the people there are black, knowing that they need this team to continue to help fuel the economy, the local economy there, as opposed to big up in Nashville, and saying, ‘Why don’t you just go there?’ not thinking of the citizens at all,” Smith said on First Take.

LeBron has since responded to those comments and clarified what he meant regarding some NBA fans perceiving it as trying to punish a majority Black city.

“Did I say I don’t like Black people? … I’m 41 years old and there’s two cities I don’t like playing in right now. Milwaukee and Memphis. What is the problem with that? I don’t like going home either and I’m from there,” the four-time NBA champion told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“Did I say I don’t like Black people? … I’m 41 years old and there’s two cities I don’t like playing in right now. And that’s Milwaukee and that’s Memphis.” – LeBron James when asked about the backlash to his comments on a recent Bob Does Sports appearance pic.twitter.com/EVgCCoD1Q7

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 4, 2026

This is not the first time the LeBron has received backlash from mentioning Memphis. Back in January, he released a teal colorway of his Nike LeBron 23 “Honor the King” sneaker in dedication to Dr. Martin Luther King with the heel also reading “Equality.” While the sentiment on the surface doesn’t call for a negative reaction or discomfort, it was that the Lakers star made tribute to Memphis’ Lorraine Motel which is where he was killed.

Despite the backlash surrounding LeBron and Memphis, he has previously shown love to the city. In 2023, LeBron was interviewed after playing the Grizzlies where he praised the culture surrounding Memphis.

“So many great musicians came from this town… being a blues music guy myself, it feels good to be part of a city that has so much culture and music.”

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