The arrests of Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups due to their alleged involvement in betting and gambling scandals rocked the NBA world. As most of the basketball fandom was in collective shock, Stephen A. Smith dropped an even jarring thought: All of these may be politically motivated and manipulated by none other than the United States president, Donald Trump.
"How many times have I said, 'Trump is coming. He's coming,'" SAS said on "First Take." "I'm gonna say it on national television again. Bad Bunny is performing at the Super Bowl and all of a sudden, you're hearing ICE is gonna be there, looking to engage in mass deportations. The Super Bowl distracting things."
"Big night in the NBA. Wembanyama put on a show, but that has been smeared because we're talking about this story," the veteran ESPN analyst added.
Stephen A. further laid out his arguments about what he thought was suspicious about what's going on. Trump's connection to the world of sports and gambling, plus the personal appearance of FBI director Kash Patel, seemed odd.
In Smith's eyes, Trump has been on a "revenge tour" of sorts in which professional sports leagues are under a heavier microscope. The New York-born pundit believes the WNBA could be next in the President's crosshairs.
"Don't be surprised if the WNBA is next on his list, 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. He's coming," Smith stated.
"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… This is just the tip of the iceberg," SAS warned further.
Smith is certainly going out of his way here to make that accusation. As Patel said, the investigation into Rozier goes back at least two years, when he was still a member of the Charlotte Hornets .
Trump was sworn into office on January 20, 2025, after winning the United States elections in November 2024. The timeline suggests the probe was already underway during the Joe Biden administration and culminated with multiple arrests yesterday.
Rozier reportedly informed his inner circle to make bets in his unders in a March 2023 game against the New Orleans Pelicans . A bettor placed 30 bets on Rozier's unders less than an hour before the game started.
As it turns out, Rozier left with a "foot injury" and played exactly nine minutes and 34 seconds, finishing with five points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Needless to say, all 30 bets won.
Billups, on the other hand, has been indicted in a separate case accusing him of involvement in fixing underground poker games linked to Mafia crime families. Patel claims the investigation involving the current Portland Trail Blazers coach has been going on for years.
As expected, Smith's comments stirred controversy. His decision to frame the discussion around politics drew sharp criticism from fans who felt he sidestepped the deeper issue — the potential fallout for the league itself.
Smith was right about one thing, though. It is just the tip of the iceberg. The full scope of the scandal remains unclear and the deeper the FBI digs, the messier it might get.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
