Towards the end of the NBA season, LeBron James came under fire for comments he made about the city of Memphis. He specifically cited his displeasure with staying at the Hyatt Centric hotel and said the Grizzlies should relocate to Nashville.
As a result, James received criticism for perceived disrespect towards the majority-black city with a history of civil rights and culture.
In an interview with Time Magazine, James set the record straight about his comments, per Sean Gregory, as part of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in sports in 2026. He wanted to make it clear that his issue was with that specific hotel, not with the city itself.
“Everything I say and do is overblown,” says James during his haircut. “I don’t have a problem with Memphis people. People need to know that. I have a problem with that hotel, and I don’t like going there.”
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In January, James and Nike were criticized for releasing the Nike LeBron 23 sneakers, decked out in teal, apparently inspired by the color of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, the site of the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968.
Altogether, James has a long track record of speaking up on racial and social justice.
Memphis' connection to the civil rights movement, including the 1968 sanitation workers' strike, for which Dr. King lent his support, and why he was in Memphis in April 1968. The sanitation workers, who were majority black, were demanding better wages and working conditions.
Memphis is also home to the National Civil Rights Museum and Stax Records, which produced artists such as Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, the Staple Singers, and Isaac Hayes.
Towards the end of the NBA season, LeBron James came under fire for comments he made about the city of Memphis. He specifically cited his displeasure with staying at the Hyatt Centric hotel and said the Grizzlies should relocate to Nashville. As a result, James received criticism for perceived disrespect towards the majority-black city with a history of civil rights and culture.