Overview

• Stephen A. Smith triggered the debate by suggesting that stars like Jimmy Butler avoid the Grizzlies because they consider Memphis unsafe.
• Draymond Green and Desmond Bane defended the city on social media, arguing that Memphis’s risks mirror those of other metropolitan areas.
• Mayor Paul Young presented 2024–25 crime statistics showing a 30% fall in homicides, a 13% drop in overall crime and a 40% decline in auto thefts.
• Smith issued a public apology and accepted the mayor’s open invitation to visit Memphis in person.
• Meanwhile, Danny Green cited the city’s less picturesque environment and the Grizzlies’ recent performance slump as factors in free-agent hesitancy.