Many players and coaches in NBA, the most glamorous national league, became recognizable figures in the basketball subculture. The point guard position in basketball is very important. It requires good leadership skills and unselfishness. It is good for players in that position to be smart and able to make fast decisions.
Playmakers like Mike Bibby, Chris Paul, etc. marked the last twenty years in this league. They were cheering up crazy fans in the stand with spectacular performances.
One of the names that can be mentioned here is Gilbert Arenas. His personality on and off the court gives him credibility to be on this list.
How did Gilbert start his professional road?
Gilbert had a very promising college road and decided to apply for the 2001 NBA Draft. Arenas was drafted as the 31st overall pick in the second round by Golden State. Arenas didn’t believe that he would get a chance to play right away. This player chose a shirt with the number 0 and wanted to show in that way how much he thinks he will play.
However, the coach allowed him to show his skills in 30 games in his debut season. Arenas scored 10.9 points per game for the Warriors, but they ended the season in last place in Western Conference.
Gilbert got some accolades during the 2002/2003 season. The hero of our story got Award for the NBA Most Improved Player and also the MVP award in the game between Rookie and Sophomore which was played during All-Star Weekend.
What is the “Gilbert Arenas rule”?
The salary cap had some exceptions if the player is chosen from the first round of the draft. That was an old rule. A new rule called the “Gilbert Arenas rule” was enabling teams to renew contracts with unrestricted agents if they were not first-round picks on the Draft. The new rule was called like that because it was established after the transfer of Gilbert to Washington.
What was the next step Arenas took in his career?
Arenas was an unrestricted free agent after the 2002-2003 season. This player could choose between Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Clippers.
The hero of these paragraphs accepted to put his signature on a contract with Wizards which was worth 60 million dollars. Gilbert was picked from the second round of the Draft pool. The Warriors couldn’t give him his better offer since they exceeded the limit for the salaries. Arenas was having a battle with injury the whole 2003/2004 season.
How did the 2004/2005 season go for him in Washington?
Gilbert formed a powerful duo with shooting guard Larry Hughes who scored a lot of points. Arenas was named in a lineup for his first-ever NBA All-Star game. This player led Washington to their first playoff participation after 1997. The Wizards had 45 victories during the regular part of the season.
Gilbert Arenas averaged 25.5 points and 2.24 steals per game. The player who inspired me to write a story today contributed a lot to a 112-110 victory in a playoff over Chicago. Washington won the series against Chicago. Winning the series in the playoff happened after two decades for the Wizards.
What happened with him during the remaining period in Wizards?
Arenas scored 29.3 points, made 2 steals, and had 6.1 assists per game during the 2005/2006 season. Surprisingly, Gilbert was not invited to All-Star Game at the beginning of 2006. Gilbert Arenas was called when the first option Jermaine O’ Neal got an injury.
Gilbert had high ambitions ahead of the start of the 2006/2007 season. This player had an amazing performance against Phoenix when he scored 54 points. Arenas scored unbelievable 60 points, had 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in a victory over the Lakers in December of 2006. His motivation paid off on the court.
How did his tenure with Washington continue?
Arenas hit a buzzer beater for a 108-105 victory against Milwaukee. Gilbert scored another three-point shot in decisive moments of the game against Utah Jazz soon after that. Gilbert Arenas got rewarded for his good displays. He was called for the first time to All-Star Game to represent Eastern Conference.
This player was in a very good mood throughout that period. His 29.7 points per game in that time proved the previous statement.
Unfortunately, injury kept him sidelined for a long time and Arenas played only 8 games during the 2007/2008 season. Gilbert mainly came off the bench to not interrupt chemistry in an already coordinated team.
What occurred with Gilbert after 2008?
Arenas put his signature on a new long-term contract with the Wizards in the summer of 2008. Washington extended collaboration with Antawn Jamison. Gilbert Arenas suffered another injury which kept him off the court until March 2008. This player made his debut appearance in the 2008/2009 season against Detroit.
He scored 15 points and 10 assists in a defeat. His team ended the season in a bad manner since they had scored 19-63 and failed to qualify for the playoff. It was the first time for Washington after four seasons to miss the playoff.
In the 2009/2010 season, Gilbert had the best performance when he scored 25 points in a victory over Golden State Warriors.
Arenas played after in Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, and Shangai Sharks.
Did Arenas have experience in Big3 basketball?
Gilbert Arenas decided to play Big3 league after retirement from NBA. He joined Enemies ahead of the start of Big3’s third season. Gilbert got the captain role and Perry Jones and Lamar Odom joined this team as co-captains. Royce White, Craig Smith, and Frank Robinson were also members of this squad.
Unfortunately, the Enemies had a 3-5 score at the end of the regular part of the season. They didn’t qualify for the playoff.
Here are some of the best moves by Gilbert Arenas in the third season:
What happened with Gilbert after the 2019 season in Fireball?
After a disappointing result in the first season, Arenas stopped playing after the first season. Gilbert took charge of the team as coach in an attempt to win the trophy. It was a huge challenge for him since he couldn’t do that as a player. Isaiah Austin and Jordan Hill were brought from the 2021 draft pool. Nick Young and Elijah Stewart also became part of the roster.
Enemies ended the regular season with one win and five defeats and took 11th place. It was another devastating performance of this team. Gilbert’s team didn’t participate Best Four contest. Arenas didn’t have a debut season from the sidelines as he expected.
What was our hero’s result in the 2022 season?
Gilbert stayed coach of Enemies for the fifth season of Fireball. Enemies kept key players in its roster for 2022. Nick Young, Elijah Stewart, and Isaiah Austin represented Enemies in an attempt to win the long-awaited trophy.
Enemies finished in ninth place in the Big3 standings with two wins and four losses. Gilbert and his players felt desperate after another missed chance to attend the Final Four. It seems that his mentorship skills were still not expressed properly.
Gilbert was a creative and brave basketball player. On the other hand, he was problematic and his temper was hard to control. Arenas stayed loyal to Washington Wizards for a long time and that shows his consistency and discipline.
He didn’t win the trophy in NBA as a player and later Arenas put his attention to Big3 basketball. His flexibility and adaptability to a new environment were tested with that transition. However, this amazing basketball figure showed that nothing is impossible. Coaching is his new call and accolades will be given to him one day, for sure.
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