Inside The Heat

Ex-Miami Heat Guard Strongly Sides With Stephen A. Smith In Memphis Claim

Shandel Richardson|
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Miami HeatMemphis Grizzlies

Former Miami Heat guard Norris Cole would have had a hard time playing for the Memphis Grizzlies during his career. He made that clear while recently appearing on the Gilbert Arenas podcast. When asked Stephen A. Smith's recent comments regarding the city's high crime and violence, Cole agreed with the sentiments.

"He told the truth," said Cole, who won two titles with the Heat during the LeBron James years. "I mean, Memphis is cool for certain people but for others it ain't.

Memphis became a popular topic once Smith made the statement during an ESPN broadcast. He said the Grizzlies have a hard time attracting free agent because of the city's reputation.

"The people in Memphis," Smith said. "It's a great sports town. Great fans. Great people. But 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 got to clean some of that stuff up because it's dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They've told me." 

Former Grizzlies player Desmond Bane, who was traded to the Orlando Magic last week, disagreed with Smith.

"I think all that is just false," Bane said on The Young Man And The Three podcast. "I think once you get to Memphis and you learn Memphis and you know Memphis, there's a lot of love in that city. Yeah, it's got its rough parts but that's how every city is. Memphis is a beautiful place. They've got a great organization. Anybody that goes there will be happy with what they got going on for sure."

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here