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Stephen A. Smith Calls NBA City 'One of The Worst in America'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Eric Nacach | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 1:13 PM ET

ESPN's "First Take" host Stephen A. Smith issued a strong statement Tuesday directed at local Memphis authorities, claiming that several NBA players perceive the city as an unsafe environment.

He pointed out that this perception puts the Memphis Grizzlies at a disadvantage in attracting star talent, as players are often dissuaded from living in the area.

Following his public announcement, Grizzlies star Ja Morant took to social media, writing, "instead of focusing on the performances we seen from jdub/shai, tj/siakam, how this series is going. We say sumn negative about a city/team on a national level."

On Wednesday morning, Smith addressed his initial claim, prefacing that the mayor of Memphis invited him to visit the city.

Despite the kind gesture, Smith clarified that he has friends in Memphis, visits quite often and knows "a thing or two" about the city.

Meanwhile, he acknowledged that crime rates have dropped overall in recent years, but ultimately stuck to his original claim.

"It's moving in the right direction, but it's still recognized as one of the worst cities in America," Smith said. "To the point where the head of the FBI has called it 'the murder capital of this country' per capita. That's on the record."

"It's moving in the right direction, but it's still recognized as one of the worst cities in America. To the point where the head of the FBI has called it 'the murder capital of this country' per capita. That's on the record." - Stephen A. Smith discussing Memphis on First Take pic.twitter.com/FKhPHV96lY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 18, 2025

The show host praised the people and fan base of the Memphis Grizzlies before using his platform as an opportunity to shed light on a geographical issue he said he had personal insight into.

The Grizzlies finished the 2024-25 season 48-34, losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs in five games.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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