Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo pushed back on LeBron James' Nashville relocation comments Thursday, saying Memphis has been "very warm, very welcoming" since he arrived in 2024.
Tuomas Iisalo has heard what LeBron James had to say about Memphis. He's not buying it.
James made headlines this week after appearing on the "Bob Does Sports" YouTube channel and suggesting the Grizzlies should pack up and move to Nashville. The Lakers star said Memphis on a random Thursday isn't somewhere he wants to spend a night at 41 years old, and that Nashville — with Vanderbilt, a stadium, and a hockey team — is simply better equipped to support an NBA franchise.
Iisalo, who has been in Memphis since taking over as Grizzlies head coach ahead of the 2024-25 season, offered a different take before Thursday's game against Toronto.
"First of all, I don't pay too much attention to what other people say," he said. "But from my own perspective, I have a completely opposite, 180-degree view. The Memphis we arrived in less than two years ago has been very warm, very welcoming and a great community."
He didn't stop there.
"On the basketball side, we have one of the most passionate fan bases in the league," Iisalo added. "The whole city rallies behind the team. All I can say is Memphis is the right place for the Grizzlies, and I'm happy to be here."
James is not the first prominent NBA voice to make the Nashville argument. Golden State's Draymond Green said on his podcast in March that the Grizzlies should relocate. J.J. Redick, now coaching the Lakers, had to apologize in 2023 after the topic came up on his podcast. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith has repeatedly pushed the Nashville idea and has caught heat from Memphians every time. After his most recent round of comments, Greater Memphis Chamber President and CEO Ted Townsend responded to him directly on social media. The debate has real consequences.
The Grizzlies' lease at FedExForum runs through 2029, and while state and city officials have pledged money toward a renovation expected to cost well north of $500 million, nothing is finalized. At All-Star weekend in February, commissioner Adam Silver said relocation isn't something the league is pursuing right now.
Iisalo's two years in the city apparently carry more weight with him than James' hotel stay.
The Grizzlies lost to the Raptors 128-96 Thursday night at FedExForum. Memphis is 25-51 and has traded away both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane in the past year. The roster looks nothing like it did two years ago. Iisalo is still here and still means what he says about the place.