LeBron James recently made waves during his YouTube golfing debut, where he didn't hold back on his thoughts about the Memphis Grizzlies. The NBA legend, at 41, took a trip down memory lane and speculated on what might have happened had the Grizzlies won the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery.
LeBron James on playing the Grizzlies:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 2, 2026
“I’m f***ing 41 years of age. You think I want to do sh** in Memphis on a random Thursday? I’m not the first guy in the NBA to talk about this. You guys got to move the team… go over to Nashville already.”
(via @leaguealerts) pic.twitter.com/ZN5y5vRg2p
In a candid moment, James suggested that if Memphis had secured the No. 1 pick back then, he might have pulled a move reminiscent of Eli Manning's famous draft day maneuver. Manning, during the 2004 NFL Draft, was selected by the San Diego Chargers but refused to play for them, leading to a trade to the New York Giants.
James humorously mused about the possibility of sitting out and forcing a trade if Memphis had the rights to draft him. He even floated the idea of relocating the franchise to Nashville, expressing his lack of enthusiasm for Memphis.
“I’m fing 41 years of age. You think I want to do sh in f***** Memphis on a random a** Thursday?”
he quipped, before suggesting the team should consider a move to Nashville. He reflected on the Grizzlies’ missed opportunity in 2003, noting that their only shot at signing him was if they had won the lottery.
The Grizzlies did have a legitimate shot at the top pick that year. Originally, Memphis had traded its 2003 first-round pick to the Detroit Pistons back in 1997.
However, if they had landed the No. 1 pick, the selection would have stayed with Memphis. Instead, they ended up with the No. 2 pick, allowing Detroit to select Darko Milicic and passing on future stars like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade.
Meanwhile, LeBron James went on to become the No. 1 overall pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James' lighthearted remarks about Memphis and the Grizzlies offer an intriguing what-if scenario, sparking conversation about how different the NBA landscape might have been.