FBI Director Kash Patel blasted an ESPN host for suggesting President Donald Trump demanded the arrests of NBA players allegedly involved in illegal sports betting.
Patel sharply rebuked ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Thursday after the sports commentator claimed the Trump administration was behind a sweeping federal crackdown on illegal gambling within the NBA.
Patel, who announced the arrests earlier that day, called Smith's remarks "the single dumbest thing I’ve ever heard out of anyone in modern history."
The director reacted to Smith’s comments from ESPN’s "First Take," in which Smith suggested the FBI’s action was politically motivated.
"Tell me when we’ve seen that … 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," Smith said, the New York Post reported.
Smith later warned that "he’s coming," referring to Trump, and speculated that the WNBA could be next.
Patel dismissed those claims outright during an appearance on Fox News.
"I'm the FBI director. I decide which arrests to conduct and which not to conduct," Patel said. "We arrest people for crimes.
"That may be the single dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, and I live most of my time in Washington, D.C."
The FBI’s multiyear investigation led to 31 arrests, including NBA players and coaches as well as alleged members of four Mafia families: Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese.
Among those charged were Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player Damon Jones, according to officials.
Patel said the scheme linked professional athletes to organized crime figures in a sprawling web of illegal poker games and insider betting on NBA "prop" wagers.
"These were coordinated schemes with La Cosa Nostra," Patel said. "They literally had scanners at poker tables, and professional athletes would walk off the court so their proposition bets could be met."
The cases highlight growing concerns over the rapid expansion of legal sports betting in the U.S. since its nationwide legalization in 2018.
Federal investigators alleged that Rozier and others exploited nonpublic player information to place bets on NBA games, generating millions in illegal profits.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, said his client "is not a gambler" and "looks forward to winning this fight."
Billups’ lawyer, Chris Heywood, called the accusations "completely false" and described the veteran coach as "a man of integrity."
Experts told The Associated Press that while legalized betting has helped expose illicit activity, it also opens new avenues for manipulation and addiction.
The NBA’s partnership with data firms like Sportradar has created lucrative revenue streams but raised ethical questions about gambling’s influence on the sport.
As the probe continues, Patel emphasized that law enforcement, not politics, drove the investigation.
"We’ve been on this case for years," he said. "It’s not about politics. It’s about upholding the law."
While Smith doubled down on his concerns of political motivation, Patel made clear the Justice Department’s stance: "We arrest people for crimes — period."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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