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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith claims he knows why NBA free agents don’t want to play in Memphis. This year, the city of Memphis has come under scrutiny after FBI director Kash Patel called it the “homicide capital of America” following a slew of shootings in the area.
“I didn’t know this until my confirmation process, but Memphis, Tennessee, is the homicide capital of America, per capita,” Kash said in an interview. “Didn’t know that. We have a problem there. We’re now addressing it. We’re rolling out one of our task forces to the state of Tennessee.”
Apparently, the crime rate is deterring NBA players from joining the Memphis Grizzlies. On Tuesday’s edition of ESPN’s ‘First Take’, Smith said that NBA players have told him they don’t want to play in Memphis because they feel “unsafe” whenever they’re in the city.
“You gonna tell folks why nobody wants to be in Memphis? Or you want me to do it? Cats like Jimmy Butler and others don’t feel like it’s the safest environment. I’m talking to the local authorities in Memphis.”
Stephen A. Smith says NBA players have told him they would feel unsafe playing in a city like Memphis
“Cats like Jimmy Butler and others don’t feel like it’s the safest environment. I’m talking to the local authorities in Memphis”
(h/t @awfulannouncing)pic.twitter.com/qySJhGBofG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 17, 2025
Grizzlies fans immediately fired back at Smith on social media.
“How many violent crimes happened in Chicago from 2011-2017? Jimmy Butler was making himself a household name around that time for the Bulls,” said one fan.
“Yet, players go to Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, & Dallas. SAS just be talking man,” commented another fan.