Marcus Smart’s tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies proved to be quite disappointing, and he gave their fans another reason to be unhappy with him with his wild comments on NBA Take-Two’s GRILLED. Smart was asked which city has the ugliest fans, and he went with Memphis after a bit of deliberation.
“The ugliest fans?” Smart said. “Memphis. And I feel bad for ’em because Memphis is for the people. They love, they support, but they just ain’t it. They just ain’t it.”
come on marcus smart………. pic.twitter.com/Ub9oFKTJa9
— Devin Walker (@Devin_Walker2) March 3, 2026
Smart tried to lessen the blow a bit, but the comment still would have stung. A young Grizzlies fan wildly responded to the jab by calling the 31-year-old ugly and a Lego head.
“Marcus Smart u so ugly. Wazzup Lego Head.”
you dissed wrong city, marcus. 😂 pic.twitter.com/w3wMXV72Nw
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) March 5, 2026
Well, Smart can expect a bit of a frosty reception the next time he plays at FedExForum in Memphis. His Los Angeles Lakers have already played there once this season on Oct. 31, 2025, and won’t be making the trip for a second time.
The Lakers won 117-112 back then, with Smart recording 12 points (5-8 FG), three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He has proven to be a very good role player for them and has won over that fanbase.
Smart should have become a fan favorite in Memphis as well, but injuries ensured that wouldn’t happen. The Grizzlies acquired him from the Boston Celtics back in 2023, and he’d barely play for them.
Smart played the first 11 games of the 2023-24 season for the Grizzlies, but the injury bug then struck. He missed the next 17 games with a foot sprain and didn’t last long when he did return. Smart suffered a right ring finger injury in January 2024, which would keep him out for the rest of the season.
In all, Smart played just 20 games in his first season with the Grizzlies, and things wouldn’t get much better in the second. He would miss time with some minor ailments at the start, and then suffered a right index finger injury in December 2024 that would keep him out of action for nearly two months. This was proving to be a never-ending injury nightmare.
It was no surprise then that the Grizzlies traded Smart to the Washington Wizards in February 2025. He played just 39 games for the franchise despite being with them for a season and a half.
Smart finished his Grizzlies career with averages of 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. Safe to say neither he nor the fans look back on this stint too fondly.
Getting back to Smart’s jab, he isn’t the only one to have fired a shot of sorts recently. Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards claimed the hotels in Memphis are dirty. It sure doesn’t seem like a place that NBA players like too much.
