FBI Director Kash Patel strongly condemned sports commentator Stephen A. Smith’s statement that the high-profile arrests of NBA figures in a gambling and fraud probe were a form of political retaliation orchestrated by President Trump. Patel believes that the comment was the single dumbest thing he has ever heard from anyone in modern history.
Patel dismissed any notion of political interference in the federal investigation and clarified that the investigation was not a sudden political move but a coordinated, multi-year probe into sophisticated criminal schemes. He explained that the individuals arrested, which included NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player Terry Rozier, had become entangled with La Cosa Nostra organized crime families in New York. The criminal activities involved rigging sports bets using insider NBA information and running rigged high-stakes poker games, constituting what he called the “insider-trading saga for the NBA.”
The Director emphasized that the FBI is not the morality police but rather a law enforcement agency that pursues those who break federal laws, regardless of their profession. He made it clear that the arrests were based on evidence of wire fraud, money laundering, and other serious charges coming from illegal betting operations.
Smith Stirred Up Controversy Again After Stating That Trump Was Coming
Stephen A. Smith sparked a major reaction by suggesting that the timing and high-profile nature of the NBA arrests were a deliberate statement and warning from President Trump. Smith claimed the President was “coming” for the NBA and other professional leagues, such as the WNBA, as a form of revenge due to their members often protesting against him.
In response to the sharp criticism, including the strong statement from FBI Director Kash Patel, Smith later defended his comment. He clarified that he never denied that the FBI’s investigation had been ongoing for years. Instead, Smith insisted his point was that President Trump was simply not likely to stop an investigation that involved people who had opposed him.
Smith stood by his statement that people should not expect the President to spare anyone in the matter. The sports personality suggested that the FBI’s aggressive, public announcement was a message that no one is safe from the President’s focus on enforcement.
The NBA Is In A Messy Situation
The NBA is currently grappling with a significant scandal that has shaken the integrity of the league. The federal indictments revealed a wide-ranging scheme involving illegal sports betting and Mafia-backed, rigged poker games. Among the 34 people charged were high-profile NBA figures, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, along with former player Damon Jones.
The allegations are deeply troubling for the league as they involve players and team personnel using non-public, “insider information” to manipulate sports bets. Specifically, Rozier is accused of tipping off bettors that he would remove himself from a game early with an injury, allowing them to profit from wagers on his underperformance. Billups and Jones were allegedly used as “face cards” to lure victims into rigged poker games that were tied to organized crime families.
In the wake of the arrests, the NBA has placed both Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier on immediate leave, stating that they are cooperating fully with federal authorities. The scandal arrives at a difficult time, just as the NBA season has begun and the league is launching new, massive media deals. The situation raises serious questions about the vulnerability of the sport to corruption, particularly in the current environment where sports betting has become heavily legalized and normalized.
Published: Oct 24, 2025 03:15 pm