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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes President Trump is behind the FBI’s investigation into sports gambling corruption within the NBA. On Thursday, FBI director Kash Patel revealed that 30 people, including several current and former NBA players, were arrested in a probe into illegal gambling operations and sports rigging operations with the mafia.
“Individuals such as Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and Terry Rozier were taken into custody today, former,current NBA players and coaches…this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years.”
“Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetuators committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed a system of justice against La Cosa Nostra.”
FBI Director Kash Patel on the process that led to arrests of former and current NBA players. pic.twitter.com/gvPTqU1Ijf
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 23, 2025
While discussing the arrests on ESPN’s First Take, Smith implied that the Trump administration targeted the NBA because the league was biased against him.
“Trump is coming. He’s coming…Anybody that has seen his reactions from the sports leagues and the positions that people have taken, they are not surprised at what’s going on today…this is just the tip of the iceberg”
“I’m watching a press conference with the director of the FBI. Tell me when we’ve seen that,” he said. “We’ve seen accusations before. We’ve seen athletes get in trouble with the law before. You don’t see the director of the FBI having a press conference. It’s not coincidental. It’s not an accident. It’s a statement, and it’s a warning that more is coming.”
“In his eyes, folks tried to throw [Trump] in jail. In his eyes, he’s innocent and ‘they’re trying to put me behind bars. I’m getting everybody.’ He’s not playing.”
“Trump is coming. He’s coming…Anybody that has seen his reactions from the sports leagues and the positions that people have taken, they are not surprised at what’s going on today…this is just the tip of the iceberg” – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/gngy9qbPIG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 23, 2025
Smith said he believes Trump will come after the WNBA next.
“Don’t be surprised if the WNBA is next on his lis, because when you’ve got all of these protests that have been going out there and people have been protesting against him and what have you, this man is coming,” Smith said. “He’s coming.”