LeBron James\u2019 harsh comments about Memphis this past week caused controversy and strong pushback from critics. However, the Los Angeles Lakers star is defending himself and his thoughts on the city.<\/p>\n
While appearing on the Bob Does Sports YouTube show, James said he might have pulled an \u201cEli Manning\u201d<\/a> and refused to play for Memphis if the Grizzlies had drafted him in 2003.<\/p>\n \u201c(The Grizzlies\u2019) best chance would have been in 2003 if they had won the (NBA draft) lottery,\u201d James said, laughing<\/a>. \u201cAnd I might\u2019ve pulled an Eli Manning and not shown up.\u201d<\/p>\n James then lamented his trips to Memphis, saying that he and other NBA players don\u2019t enjoy visiting the city. He added that the franchise would be better off moving to Nashville, where most of the state\u2019s major sports teams play.<\/p>\n \u201cStaying at the f*cking Hyatt at 41 years old, you think I want to do that sh*t?\u201d James said. \u201cBeing in Memphis on a random-a** Thursday. I\u2019m not even the first guy to talk about this in the NBA. We\u2019re all like, \u2018You guys have to move.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cGo over to Nashville,\u201d he added. \u201c\u2026 They got everything.\u201d<\/p>\n James isn\u2019t the first NBA personality to share disparaging thoughts about Memphis<\/a>, but his comments did touch a nerve with many (even those who have also disparaged Memphis<\/a>).<\/p>\n On Saturday, James was asked about the reaction to his comments. In a video shared by ESPN\u2019s Dave McMenamin, a reporter tells the Lakers star that \u201cpeople have been upset about the fact that Memphis was looked at as a team that, a lot of Black people in Memphis, right, compared to like Nashville, for example.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid I say I don\u2019t like Black people?\u201d asked James.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you didn\u2019t say that,\u201d clarified the reporter, before adding, \u201cthere were people who were wondering why Memphis was targeted.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMilwaukee was, too. They didn\u2019t see that?\u201d asked James. \u201cI said Milwaukee as well.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m 41 years old. There\u2019s two cities I do not like playing in right now. That\u2019s Milwaukee, and that\u2019s Memphis. What is your problem with that? I don\u2019t like going home either. Sh*t. And I\u2019m from there. What is\u2014 people are ridiculous. They also get mad at my son being on the team, too. So what are we talking about? People need to figure out other ways to put their energy to other things that\u2019s important.<\/p>\n \u201cLike, seriously, I\u2019m not talking about the city, like the people in Memphis. I don\u2019t like staying at the Hyatt Centric. What\u2019s wrong with that? What\u2019s wrong with that? Nothing. What are we talking about? What are we talking about?<\/p>\n \u201cPeople need to chill the hell out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid I say I don\u2019t like Black people? \u2026 I\u2019m 41 years old and there\u2019s two cities I don\u2019t like playing in right now. And that\u2019s Milwaukee and that\u2019s Memphis.\u201d \u2013 LeBron James when asked about the backlash to his comments on a recent Bob Does Sports appearance pic.twitter.com\/EVgCCoD1Q7<\/a><\/p>\n