LeBron James is no stranger to headlines, but this time it’s not his on-court brilliance making waves. A “playful” golf-course rant about Memphis during his appearance on Bob Does Sports has sparked backlash across the city, with fans — especially young Memphis Grizzlies supporters — firing back hard at the Lakers star.

On Sunday, a young Grizzlies fan went viral for roasting the Los Angeles Lakers star over those remarks. “This unc can’t be talking, bruh. Maybe he was good in his prime, but can we get this unc into retirement now? Get him out of here,” the fan said (via Colin Cody).

The reaction reflects a wider backlash after LeBron openly criticized Memphis and even joked that the Grizzlies should relocate to Nashville, calling it a more appealing destination. He isn’t alone in that sentiment either, as Anthony Edwards and Draymond Green have voiced similar frustrations about the city in the past.

During the golf segment, LeBron didn’t hold back. “Staying at the f—ing Hyatt at 41 years old. You think I want to do that s—? Being in Memphis on a f—ing random-a— Thursday?” he said, before directly addressing the Grizzlies organization: “We’re all like, you guys have to move. Just go over to Nashville.”

He even added that he would have “pulled an Eli Manning” if Memphis had landed the No. 1 pick in 2003, suggesting he wouldn’t have played for the franchise at all.

The comments didn’t sit well with Memphis locals, including Mayor Paul Young, who fired back with a pointed response: “Come see us before you run your mouth.”

Fans online also labeled the remarks elitist, pointing out that LeBron himself comes from Akron, Ohio. Despite the criticism, however, the 41-year-old has shown no signs of backing down.

LeBron doubles down despite growing backlash

What started as a casual remark has now turned into a full-blown controversy, with backlash pouring in from fans, public figures, and media alike.

LeBron hasn’t walked anything back. Instead, he doubled down when asked about the remarks by The Athletic’s Law Murray. “Milwaukee was, too. Did they miss that one? It’s two cities I don’t like playing in right now—Milwaukee and Memphis. What’s the problem?” he said, later adding Cleveland to that list as well.

That response is only likely to fuel the backlash further, but LeBron has made it clear he isn’t losing sleep over it. Whether fans agree or not, the conversation has already taken on a life of its own — turning what started as a casual comment into one of the most talked-about NBA controversies of the week.