While the hoop community should be focused on the thrilling OKC vs Pacers Final, they are busy talking about the city of Memphis. Why? Because of Stephen A. Smith’s controversial take on why big-name NBA superstars don’t see it as a desirable destination, “There’s an element there where cats like Jimmy Butler and others don’t feel it’s the safest environment. I’m talking to the local authorities in Memphis. You’ve got to clean some of that stuff up, because it’s dissuasive to NBA players.” Sure enough, his comments garnered massive backlash from the citizens of Memphis and even Warriors veteran Draymond Green jumped in to defend the 901.

Shutting down Stephen A.’s narrative about Memphis being unsafe for players, Green said, “I got a lot of love for the city of Memphis. I got people from Memphis too. People from Memphis has always shown me love… Every city in the world has a dangerous part. So, I’m not gonna sit here and single out that city. Come on man… I disagree with that wholeheartedly.”

Yes, the four-time champ listed out a bunch of American cities, including Los Angeles, Detroit, and Indiana, to highlight that every city has a rough part to it and the ESPN analyst was unfair to single out Memphis on national television. Further strengthening his point, Draymond revealed a personal experience involving the city, “I was about to go to Memphis two years ago. So, I wholeheartedly disagree because the last thing that was on my mind was this is a dangerous place to live, I can’t go.”

Before Green inked a four-year $100 million extension with the Warriors two summers ago, he was genuinely considering joining a new franchise. Turns out, Grizzlies were among the top destinations on his list and not once did the city’s safety concerns cross his mind. So, he called out Stephen A. on his podcast for his appalling take, “Don’t do that to that city… We here to play basketball. Raise our family. Come on man.”

Meanwhile, former Grizzlies star Desmond Bane also disagreed with Smith’s narrative, “I think all that is just false. I think once you get to Memphis and you learn Memphis and you know Memphis, like there’s a lot of love in that city… I think Memphis is a beautiful place. They got a great organization. Anybody that goes there will be happy with what they got going on for sure.”

He too questioned the ESPN veteran’s motive behind singling out the city, when there is a lot more basketball to talk about, “I think it’s unfortunate you know. I think there is great things going on in the NBA Finals, with the Pacers, Oklahoma City, two good basketball teams. And there’s a whole lot there to talk about. There’s times when I don’t always understand the motive, but it is what it is and I try not to pay attention to it.” And it seems, Draymond and Bane were not the only people to publicly call out the media veteran.

Mayor Paul Young’s response to Stephen A. Smith’s Memphis criticism leads to change of heart

With the entire population of Memphis, along with several NBA players, standing up to defend their city, Memphis’ mayor Paul Young also felt the need to intervene and set things straight with Stephen A. In a stern public statement, he wrote, “City of Memphis, Stephen called us a great sports town – facts. Best fans in the game? True. People of Memphis? Unmatched. But what he is missing is that crime is down significantly in 2024 and 2025. We’re not just talking change, we’re delivering it. Memphis is rising, and we’ve got the numbers and the heart to prove it.”

Then, the mayor issued an open invitation to the ESPN analyst to experience the beautiful atmosphere in Memphis himself, “If Jimmy or anyone else is unsure, come see for yourself. And Stephen, we’ll welcome you here anytime. Just don’t bet against us. Memphis doesn’t stay down.” He also commended the people of Memphis and Ja Morant for keeping a united front against the narrative.

It turns out the mayor wasn’t just clapping back. According to the city’s 2024 crime report, homicides dropped by 30%, total crime was down 13%, and auto thefts fell nearly 40% compared to the previous year. Initiatives like Operation Code Zero and a newly expanded Fugitive Team were credited with the turnaround — making the city’s case for change more than just PR spin.

The massive backlash and Mayor Young’s intervention seemingly led to a change of heart for Stephen A. as he took a drastic U-turn in his response to the mayor’s statement. “Good afternoon Mr. @MayorPaulYoung. Deeply appreciate your words and the sentiments that came with them. Progress is what life is all about and when it comes to Memphis -where some dear friends of mine reside — I wish for nothing less. The people deserve nothing less. So, with that said, I accept your invitation to come to your city, as your guest. Let’s make it happen. I’m looking forward to it.”

Yes, he accepted Mayor Young’s open invitation. However, it is unlikely that the ESPN veteran will get a pleasant welcome from the people in Memphis after his controversial comments. What do you think?