Three NBA players and coaches were among more than 30 people indicted by federal prosecutors Thursday in a sweeping organized crime and gambling probe.
After FBI Director Kash Patel laid out the government’s case, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith laid out an insane case against President Donald Trump.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones were all arrested in connection with what authorities dubbed “Operation Nothing But Net.”
The cases, which were unsealed Thursday morning, involve insider sports betting and a poker-rigging scheme tied to the Italian mafia.
Prosecutors said the investigation has been ongoing for four years across nearly a dozen states.
That means it started under President Joe Biden, The New York Times reported.
But leave it to ESPN and Smith to somehow make the story about Trump.
On ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith claimed the FBI’s press conference about the arrests was really part of a Trump-driven “revenge” campaign.
“Remember, Trump has a long, long history connected to the world of sports because he had those casinos,” Smith argued. “Where do you think folks were coming half the time? I’m not talking about individuals, I’m talking about the culture.”
“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
“Don’t be surprised if the WNBA is next on his list,” he continued. “This man is coming. He’s coming.”
Smith went further, arguing that Patel’s appearance wasn’t routine, but a warning from Trump himself.
“It’s not coincidental. It’s not an accident. It’s a statement, and it’s a warning that more is coming,” he said.
The issue with Smith’s rambling conspiracy theory is that the FBI investigation began four years ago.
There’s no possible way Trump could have ordered these arrests.
Patel was present due to the scope of the operation.
With mafia ties, tens of millions in alleged fraud, and professional athletes accused of working with them, this is precisely the kind of case that would see the bureau’s top official make an appearance.
Instead of expressing concern that NBA figures were allegedly working with organized crime, Smith used his platform to smear Trump, and ESPN let him.
This is disgraceful.
It’s one thing to dislike Trump.
It’s another thing entirely to falsely claim he’s using federal law enforcement to target professional athletes for revenge.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
