The NBA gambling scandal has already sent shockwaves through the sports world, but according to Stephen A. Smith on today’s edition of First Take, there could be more to come. And since he invoked the name of Donald Trump, FBI director and Trump loyalist Kash Patel was quick to counteract any claims of the president influencing any investigations.
Patel made an appearance on Fox News and was given an opportunity to respond to Smith’s comments on First Take earlier in the day when he warned that Trump was “coming” for the NBA, saying the charges against Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and Terry Rozier in two separate cases involving an illegal poker ring and influencing player prop bets was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to investigations into the league.
“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
In his comments to Ingraham, Kash Patel strongly refuted that claim, saying it was “the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard from anyone in modern history.”
Director Patel responds to Stephen A. Smith claiming today’s NBA gambling takedown was revenge from President Trump: “That may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard from anyone in modern history, and I live most of my time in Washington DC. It’s right up there with Adam Schiff.”… pic.twitter.com/PPJuouLA8S
— Ben Williamson (@_WilliamsonBen) October 23, 2025
“I’m the FBI director. I decide which arrests to conduct and which not to conduct. That may be the single dumbest thing I’ve ever heard from anyone in modern history and I live most of my time in Washington DC. It’s right up there with Adam Schiff. We arrest people for crimes,” Patel said.
Trump’s justice department has had a recent string of arresting his political enemies, with federal charges for both former FBI director James Comey and former National Security Advisor John Bolton. Is the NBA in the same category? Stephen A. Smith certainly made it sound as if Trump and by extension Patel have the league firmly in their crosshairs with not just this investigation, but what could potentially come down the line.
In a post responding to Patel’s response, Smith seemed to back down from any insinuation that could connect those dots.
Nothing to get ahead of here, people! I never denied or failed to mention that this FBI Investigation has been going on for years. I said Trump wasn’t inclined to stop it. He’s sparing no one because the man isn’t playing. He’s coming!! In no way am I attempting to even have an…
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) October 24, 2025
What better microcosm for public life in 2025 could there be than the FBI director getting into a public war of words with Stephen A. Smith? Who knows, this entire scandal and response could be a way for Smith to further position himself as a potential future political opponent of Trump himself.
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