LeBron James said he might have refused to join the Memphis Grizzlies if they had won the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery, likening it to Eli Manning's draft stance. On the 'Bob Does Sports' podcast released Thursday, James criticized travel and accommodations in Memphis and urged the team to relocate to Nashville. He emphasized that the only way he would have played there was in 2003.
James made the comments during an episode of the YouTube show 'Bob Does Sports,' ahead of a round of golf. Asked about travel challenges at age 41, he replied bluntly, 'F--- yeah,' citing stays at the Hyatt in Milwaukee and random visits to Memphis. 'You think I wanna do that shit? Being in Memphis on a random ass Thursday,' James said. He is not the first NBA figure to suggest the Grizzlies move, echoing Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green, who praised Memphis people but criticized the lack of hotel amenities like saunas and hot tubs, and called for a shift to Nashville as an Eastern Conference team. The Grizzlies' lease at FedEx Forum expires in 2029, and Memphis mayor Paul Young stated in February that the city is working on an extension. 'We're working real hard on the Grizzlies lease. I feel real good about where it's going,' Young said. NBA commissioner Adam Silver noted during his February All-Star press conference that relocation is not on the table currently. James recalled the 2003 lottery, where the Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick despite the Grizzlies landing second—sending their pick to Detroit due to a prior trade. Cleveland, tied with Denver for the worst record, selected James first. He told ESPN years later that Memphis never crossed his mind, as he hoped to stay home near his hometown.
