On Thursday morning, during a live edition of First Take on ESPN, television analyst and potential political candidate Stephen A. Smith issued a stark warning: what had just been revealed as a nationwide gambling investigation involving a coach and several current and former players from the NBA might be far more than mere law enforcement doing its job.

“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

While acknowledging that the FBI’s press conference—held just minutes earlier—had announced a sweeping takedown, Smith suggested this is “the tip of the iceberg.” He floated the idea that the operation was deliberately timed and orchestrated—possibly by President Donald Trump himself—to “smear” the NBA right as the new season kicked off.

Smith emphasized Trump’s long-standing ties to the gambling and casino world and argued that makes the president uniquely positioned to wage this kind of culture-war style campaign. He remarked:

“Big night for the NBA — [Victor Wembanyama] put on a show. That has now been smeared because we’re talking about this story, OK? Remember, Trump has a long, long history connected to the world of sports because he had those casinos. Where do you think folks were coming half the time? … This was his kind of connection to that.”

He then pivoted to suggest that the crackdown might not stop with the NBA, cautioning that the women’s game—WNBA—could be next:

“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 … this man is coming. He’s coming.”

Smith also raised eyebrows at the presence of Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, at the press conference. He asked:

“I’m watching a press conference with the director of the FBI. 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.”

According to Smith, the message being sent is clear:

“In his eyes, folks tried to throw [Trump] in jail. In his eyes, he’s innocent and ‘they’re trying to put me behind bars. I’m getting everybody.’ He’s not playing.”

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s very concerning. We don’t know where this is gonna go. But everybody better brace themselves, because he’s coming.”

The backdrop to his remarks: A blockbuster gambling bust announced by law-enforcement on Thursday. Authorities say around 30 individuals—including Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Terry Rozier, guard for the Miami Heat—have been indicted in connection with a multistate gambling and poker ring tied to mafia networks and alleged insider betting.