Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards recently voiced sharp criticism about the quality of hotels in Memphis, highlighting an unpleasant experience that caught widespread attention across the NBA community. Edwards’ candid remarks about subpar accommodations in Memphis, shared during a podcast appearance, also found support from Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green, who recounted a troubling hotel incident from his team’s past visits.
Anthony Edwards Candidly Describes Memphis Hotel Issues
During a conversation on the Sundae Conversation podcast, Anthony Edwards gave a blunt assessment of the hotels his team has encountered on road trips in Memphis. He recalled walking into a hotel room there and noticing visible stains on the bedding, which he described as dirty and disappointing. His remark,
“Yeah, especially when we go to Memphis, I’d be like, damn, the hotels ain’t nothing in Memphis. That sh-t be dirty. I walked into a Memphis hotel one time and it had stains and sh-t on the bed,”
quickly spread on social media and sparked debate.
Outside the hospitality issues, Edwards has shown impressive performances on the court against the Memphis Grizzlies. In 20 games facing Memphis, he has averaged 25 points, nearly 4 rebounds, and over 4 assists, shooting above 50 percent from the field. Notably, Edwards played a key role in Minnesota’s 2022 playoff victory over Memphis, where the Timberwolves won the series in six games as a seventh seed beating the second-seed Grizzlies. This season, Edwards holds a 2-1 record against Memphis, including two high-scoring road games with 33 and 39 points. The teams are slated to meet again on April 2 in Minnesota.
Draymond Green Recalls Warriors’ Hotel Problems in Memphis
Draymond Green contributed his perspective on the topic during an episode of The Draymond Green Show, confirming that Edwards’ complaints reflect a broader pattern. Green shared a specific incident involving the Golden State Warriors’ previous stay at a Memphis hotel, where the hotel sprinklers unexpectedly went off inside a room, soaking former Warriors center Andrew Bogut’s belongings. When the hotel management declined to take responsibility or remedy the situation, the Warriors decided to switch hotels for future visits.
“[Anthony Edwards] is pretty blunt about it, but yeah,” Green said. “We had an issue there where we used to stay at one hotel in Memphis, and this dates back. We stopped staying there because their sprinklers just went off for no reason in the room. Drenched all of [Andrew] Bogut’s stuff, and they didn’t want to do anything about it. So, we switched hotels then, right? So, it’s been an issue.”
— Draymond Green, Veteran NBA Player
Green’s account highlighted a concrete example of hospitality troubles that have affected NBA teams traveling to Memphis. His story did not add negativity but rather provided background to the ongoing challenges associated with hotel accommodations in the city.
Memphis’ Reputation Faces Scrutiny Beyond Hotel Concerns
Memphis has experienced scrutiny from other prominent voices in the NBA sphere unrelated to hospitality. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith previously raised concerns about safety in Memphis as a factor potentially deterring top free agents from joining the Grizzlies. Smith balanced his comments by acknowledging Memphis as a strong sports town with passionate fans while urging local authorities to address safety issues.
“It’s a great sports town, great fans, great people,”
Smith said.
“But there’s an element there where cats like Jimmy Butler and others don’t feel it’s the safest environment. I’m talking to the local authorities in Memphis. You’ve got to clean some of that stuff up because it’s dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They’ve told me.”
— Stephen A. Smith, Sports Commentator
While Stephen A. Smith’s remarks focused on player safety concerns rather than lodging quality, the combination of these perspectives from players and media figures underscores broader challenges Memphis faces in shaping its image within the league. Unlike safety, public hotel hygiene rankings do not consistently place Memphis among the worst nationwide, which suggests Anthony Edwards’ criticism may stem from one or a few isolated negative experiences rather than systemic hospitality failings.
Nevertheless, with endorsements of these grievances from multiple All-Star players and respected media voices, Memphis finds itself under renewed examination. This scrutiny arrives not from a heated playoff rivalry but from the conditions of a hotel stay that left a lasting negative impression on visiting NBA teams and players.
As the Timberwolves and Grizzlies prepare for their upcoming matchup, the conversation about Memphis hotels and player safety may continue to influence perceptions, potentially prompting local authorities and businesses to address these matters more actively in the future.
Draymond Green on Memphis having the worst hotels 👀
"[Anthony Edwards] is pretty blunt about it, but yeah… We had an issue there where we used to stay at one hotel in Memphis, and this dates back. We stopped staying there because their sprinklers just went off for no reason… https://t.co/zPoo3Skqm9 pic.twitter.com/8nt59NWv5b
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 23, 2026
