Memphis has been sensationally branded as the city with the ‘ugliest’ fans in the NBA by Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart.
The 31-year-old defensive specialist, who spent a tumultuous season in Memphis before being traded, didn’t hold back during a recent interview on NBAT2.
When asked to name the city with the least attractive fanbase in the league, Smart pointed directly at Memphis despite his previous ties to the organization.
‘Memphis,’ Smart said bluntly. ‘And I feel bad for ’em because Memphis is for the people. But this ain’t it.’
The comment has sparked immediate backlash from the Grizzlies’ faithful, who had already soured on Smart following his injury-plagued tenure and subsequent criticisms of the team’s culture.
The interview clip has since gone viral on social media, with fans and local commentators accusing the veteran of taking ‘unnecessary strays’ at a city that once welcomed him.
Memphis has been branded as the city with the ‘ugliest’ fans in the NBA by Marcus Smart
The comment has sparked immediate backlash from the Grizzlies’ faithful on social media
The remark adds another layer of bitterness to what has become a fractured relationship between Smart and the city of Memphis following his exit in February 2025.
Since being traded to Washington and eventually landing with the Los Angeles Lakers, Smart has been vocal about the ‘dysfunctional’ environment he claims to have witnessed during his brief stint with the Grizzlies.
He previously claimed that the team’s struggles started with him being traded because the front office allegedly believed he ‘didn’t want to be there’ while he was rehabbing an injury.
‘I’m here every day working my a** off, cheering. I’m the only one on the bench coaching, but you know how it is,’ Smart said in a separate interview late last year.
The veteran guard has since found a home in Los Angeles, where he signed a two-year, $11 million deal in July 2025 to join LeBron James and Luka Doncic in the Lakers’ backcourt.
Smart remains a defensive anchor in the Hollywood rotation, most recently recording five steals and nine points in a 128-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings on March 1.
Despite the fresh start in California, Smart continues to face heat from his former fans for his commentary, ensuring the bad blood remains as he chases another title.
