Gilbert Jay Arenas Jr. ( ; born January 6, 1982) is an American former professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player. Arenas attended
Grant High School in the
Valley Glen district of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, and accepted a scholarship offer to the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...
late in his junior year. He was drafted by the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
with the 31st overall pick in the
2001 NBA draft
The 2001 NBA draft took place on June 27, 2001, in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player to be drafted with the first overall pick in the history of the NBA. The selection of Kwame Brown by the Washington Wizar ...
.
Arenas is a three-time
NBA All-Star
The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Traditionally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of ...
, three-time member of the
All-NBA Team
The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The team has been sel ...
during his time in Washington, and was voted the
NBA Most Improved Player in the
2002–03 season in his final season in Golden State. Arenas was nicknamed "Agent Zero" while playing with Washington, due to his jersey number (0).
He was also nicknamed "Hibachi" for "cooking" his opponents. Both names quickly became fan favorites during his time in the Washington, D.C. area. Arenas played the shooting guard and point guard position.
Arenas was suspended for most of the
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 1,230-game regular season (82 games for each of the 30 teams) began on October 27, 2009, and ended on April 14, 2010. The season ended with the Los Ang ...
because of handgun violations stemming from an episode on December 24, 2009, and for subsequent actions that appeared to make light of this episode.
In late 2010, Arenas was traded to the
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
. After the
2011 NBA lockout, Arenas was the first NBA player to be waived under the "
amnesty clause". He signed with the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
for the
2011–12 NBA season
The 2011–12 NBA season was the 66th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, lockout, the regular season was reduced to 66 games for each team, and began on December 25, 2011, coinciding with NBA Christm ...
, which would be his final season in the league.
Early life
Arenas was born in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
. His grandfather Hippolito Arenas, was a first-generation
Cuban American. Arenas was raised in the
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...
section of Los Angeles where he played basketball at
Ulysses S. Grant High School. His number, #25, was
retired by the school. Arenas was a late bloomer, taking the final spot on the national ranking as the 99th in the class of 1999. Before beginning his freshman year at the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...
, Arenas attended
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Ass ...
's basketball camp and was chosen to play on Jordan's team during a game. He impressed Jordan by scoring eight baskets in his first eight possessions. Following the camp, Jordan told coach
Lute Olson
Robert Luther "Lute" Olson (September 22, 1934 – August 27, 2020) was an American basketball coach, who was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the head co ...
that Arenas deserved time on the court.
Rodney Tention recruited Arenas to Arizona during a Summer AAU game.
College career
Arenas played basketball at the University of Arizona. He was 17 years old during his freshman season at Arizona, where he played 34 games, starting 31 of them and averaging 15.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG playing both shooting guard and point guard.
One of his teammates,
Richard Jefferson
Richard Allen Jefferson Jr. (born June 21, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played small forward. He played for eight teams in his 17-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Jefferson playe ...
, would later join him in entering the
2001 NBA draft
The 2001 NBA draft took place on June 27, 2001, in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player to be drafted with the first overall pick in the history of the NBA. The selection of Kwame Brown by the Washington Wizar ...
.
In 2001, Arenas' sophomore year, he was named first-team
All-Pac-10. He helped lead Arizona to the national championship game, where they lost to the Duke Blue Devils, 82–72. Arenas, who was reportedly dealing with a knee injury, struggled in the championship game. He scored 10 points, grabbing 4 rebounds and dishing 4 assists, shooting 4-17 from the field and 4-13 from 3, in what would be his final game with Arizona. Shortly after the tournament, Arenas announced that he was foregoing his last two years at college and would enter the 2001 NBA draft. NBA scouts thought that Arenas, at the time aged only 19, was Arizona's best pro prospect.
Professional career
Golden State Warriors (2001–2003)
After a productive college career, Arenas entered the
2001 NBA draft
The 2001 NBA draft took place on June 27, 2001, in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player to be drafted with the first overall pick in the history of the NBA. The selection of Kwame Brown by the Washington Wizar ...
. Despite strong consideration from many teams in the first round and even lottery teams such as the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
,
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
,
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
and
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...
, Arenas fell to the second round in part due to his effort in interviews despite strong performances in workouts and scrimmages, being selected with the first pick of the second round 31st overall pick by the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
. Arenas stated, "I had my 2-day pre-Draft workout with Celtics. Killed the first one, I skipped the 2nd to heal my Achilles so I can tryout with other teams. Celtic's Jim O'Brien put out the rumor that I was immature, didn't take it seriously. Once I was labelled that I was done as a 1st rounder." While slipping through the draft, Arenas contacted
Rodney Tention, who was responsible for recruiting him to Arizona to see if he could return to school. Arenas was shocked teammate
Richard Jefferson
Richard Allen Jefferson Jr. (born June 21, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played small forward. He played for eight teams in his 17-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Jefferson playe ...
was selected ahead of him despite Jefferson mocked commonly in the top 10 to the late lottery. Arenas would wear the number 0 on his jersey to signify the number of minutes that experts predicted he would play coming as a 17 year old low end prospect from a small high school going to a college powerhouse in Arizona. Gilbert made his NBA debut on November 4, 2001, vs the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
after not playing his first 3 games, Arenas went scoreless, Arenas scored his first point a free throw in a game vs the
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...
on November 7, 2001. Arenas made his first field goal on January 16, 2002, in a game vs the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
scoring 7 points and going 3-4 from the field. Arenas made his first career start on February 15, 2002, and on February 17, 2002, vs the
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
, Arenas had his first double digit scoring game with 12 points; he continued the streak to 9 games with one double double in that stretch. Arenas started 30 games and averaged 10.9 points per game for the Warriors, who finished in last place in the Western Conference that season. In
2002–03, his sophomore season, Arenas received the
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The NBA's Most Improved Player (MIP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season compared to previous seasons. The winner is selected by a panel of sportsw ...
averaging 18.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds as Golden State improved its victory total to 38, up from 21 last season with Arenas leading the charge, and was named Most Valuable Player of the
Rookie-Sophomore game during the
NBA All-Star Weekend. Arenas had a 33 game stretch where he averaged 23.4 PPG 5.7 APG and 4.7 RPG with 1.5 SPG on 46.7% FG and 37.7% from 3. Arenas had one of the best performances of his career during March 2003, when he dropped 41 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished five assists in a win against the Wizards which would be the team that made him their franchise player after the Warriors were unable to match. Arenas said after he won the Most Improved Player award that he didn't think there was much to improve, and he had only needed more playing time and more experience.
Washington Wizards (2003–2010)
2003–04 season
After the 2002–03 season, Arenas became a
restricted free agent
A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in some sports leagues, such as the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), and National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the term ...
. He reportedly flipped a coin to decide among several teams seeking to sign him, including the
Wizards,
Warriors
A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have been p ...
, and
Clippers. The Washington Wizards offered him a six-year, $60 million contract making him the face of the franchise after just turning 21 years old. The Warriors were unable to match this offer because they were over the
salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap (or wage cap) is an agreement or rule that places a limit on the amount of money that a team can spend on players' salaries. It exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both. Seve ...
and because Arenas was a second-round pick. If Arenas had been drafted in the first round, the salary cap had exceptions that would have allowed the Warriors to match the offer sheet. The "
Gilbert Arenas Rule" was later created to allow teams to re-sign restricted free agents who were not first-round picks. Arenas battled a strained abdominal muscle injury all season which would cause him to have only to start 52 games in his first year in Washington and constantly sitting on the sidelines dropped his shooting percentage instead of breaking out into the franchise cornerstones in his first year Washington envisioned, Arenas still led the team in PPG and APG.
2004–05 season
With Arenas being healthy, he teamed up with former teammate guard
Larry Hughes (22.0 points per game) in
2004–05 to give the Wizards the highest-scoring backcourt duo in the NBA. Arenas was selected for his first
NBA All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is the annual all-star game hosted each February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's All-star, star players. Since 2022, it was held on the third Sunday of ...
. He guided the team to a 45-win season and its first playoff berth since 1997. Arenas led the team in scoring with 25.5 ppg, finishing seventh in the league in that category. He also finished sixth in the league in steals per game in 2004–05 with 2.24 (Hughes led the league with 2.93 steals per game).

In the fifth game of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2005, Arenas hit a 16-foot fadeaway as time expired to give the Wizards a 112–110 win over the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
. The Wizards eventually won the series, the franchise's first playoff series victory in more than two decades. In the second round, the Wizards were swept by the Miami Heat, who had been the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
2005–06 season
In 2006, Wizards fansite Wizznutzz.com jokingly nicknamed him "Agent Zero", a nickname Arenas liked so much that it stuck.
Arenas averaged 29.3 points, which ranked fourth among the scoring leaders, two steals (also fourth), and 6.1 assists per game during the
2005–06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, four games to two, to win their first NBA championship.
This marked that it was the final ...
. However, he was not initially chosen for the 2006
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
. He was named as a replacement after
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
forward–center
Jermaine O'Neal was injured. He also participated in the
Three-point Shootout
The Three-Point Contest is a National Basketball Association (NBA) contest held on the Saturday before the annual All-Star Game as part of All-Star weekend.
The 2019 iteration of the contest involved ten participants. From its introduction in 1 ...
, where he placed second, after
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki (; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he is widely regarded as one of the great ...
. The Washington Wizards finished 42–40 and earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
During the off-season, Arenas said that he was willing to take a pay cut in order to give the Wizards additional money with which to sign available free agents. He had expressed a desire to win a championship with the Wizards. One of Arenas' most memorable plays was a 40-foot jump shot in Round 1 of the 2006 NBA playoffs in which the Wizards were eliminated by the
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James Sr. ( ; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and ...
-led Cleveland Cavaliers in six games.
2006–07 season
Arenas himself has noted that he withdrew from the United States national team for the 2006 FIBA World Championship because he felt that assistant coaches
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew D'Antoni (born May 8, 1951) is an American-Italian professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as a coaching advisor for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
While h ...
and
Nate McMillan had determined the roster even prior to tryouts. Afterward, he stated that he planned on averaging 50 points against their respective teams (Phoenix Suns and
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
). He succeeded at his goal versus powerhouse Phoenix, scoring 54 points, including 21-of-37 from the field, 6-of-12 three-pointers (while reportedly eyeing in the direction of Suns chairman
Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo (born November 20, 1939) is an American businessman and sports executive. He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the A ...
), in a high-scoring 144–139 Wizards win over the Suns. However, on February 11 versus the Blazers, he was held to a lowly nine points, including tying the Wizards' franchise record for three-point futility, going 0-for-8 from behind the arc, in a 94–73 loss versus Portland.
In an
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
game versus the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
on December 17, 2006, at the
Staples Center
Crypto.com Arena (originally and colloquially known as Staples Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along F ...
in Los Angeles, Arenas scored a career-high 60 points, adding 8 rebounds and 8 assists in helping lead the Wizards over the Lakers, 147–141. Arenas holds the Wizards' franchise record for points scored in a game by an individual, a record he now shares with Bradley Beal. The previous record of 56 points was held by
Earl Monroe
Vernon Earl Monroe (born November 21, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for two teams, the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks, during his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Both teams ...
, achieved in 1968, which was also an overtime game against the Lakers. Arenas' 16 points in the extra period also set an NBA record for most points in one overtime period, surpassing
Earl Boykins' record by one point.
On January 3, 2007, Arenas hit a 32-foot buzzer-beater to win the game against the
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
, 108–105. Two weeks later on
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and often referred to shorthand as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the third Monday of January each year. King was the chief spokespers ...
he hit another buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the ...
, 114–111, in a thriller at the
Verizon Center. This same scenario has been added as a cut scene in the video game ''
NBA Live
''NBA Live'' is a series of basketball video games that was published by EA Sports. The series, which debuted in 1994, is the successor to the previous ''NBA Playoffs'' and ''NBA Showdown (video game), NBA Showdown'' series.
Beginning in the la ...
2008''. He also hit a game-winning layup as time expired to beat the
Seattle SuperSonics on March 21, 2007.

In February 2007, during the final days of All-Star voting, Arenas was voted as a first-time starter for the
2007 NBA All-Star game for the Eastern Conference, edging out
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who played for 22 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, b ...
by a slight margin, with 1,454,166 votes to Carter's 1,451,156.
At the time he was averaging 29.7 points per game, and led all Eastern Conference point guards in scoring and was second in the league.
[
Towards the end of the season, Arenas tore his MCL during a game against the Charlotte Bobcats, when Gerald Wallace fell into his leg. The Wizards struggled to finish the season with Arenas and teammate Caron Butler both being injured. Washington earned a playoff berth, but was swept in the first round in a rematch with the ]Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
. This was the last season Arenas made an All-Star game and All-NBA team before constant injuries and off-court issues.
2007–08 season
During the off-season, Arenas told ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' that he would opt out of his contract after the 2007–08 season, making him a free agent. He stated, "...if something happens where they don't want me or they're going in a different direction, I can look elsewhere. But my intentions are not to leave."
Arenas only played eight games during the 2007–08 season, due to a knee injury, before he started practicing again in March, and returned to action on April 2, 2008, against the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
, scoring 17 points in a 110–109 home loss.
Ten days prior, Arenas stormed out of the locker room before a game against the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. He had wanted to play, but his doctor did not give him clearance. Arenas made a surprise return on April 9, when he came out of the locker room with 5:30 left in the first quarter. He finished the game scoring 13 points and dishing out 3 assists in helping the Wizards beat the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
109–95. He came off the bench for the rest of the regular season as not to disrupt the chemistry the Wizards had built without him. Arenas got his wish when they matched up against the Cavaliers for the third straight year; however, it was apparent he was not 100% healthy. In games 1–3, he played limited minutes, citing soreness in his surgically repaired knee. A few minutes before game 4 of their first-round playoff appearance against the Cavaliers, Arenas announced he would sit out the rest of the playoffs.[
]
2008–09 season
On June 9, 2008, Arenas officially opted out of the final year of his contract
A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, services, money, or promise to transfer any of thos ...
, but said that he would re-sign with the Wizards if they retained teammate Antawn Jamison, also a free agent. The Wizards did indeed sign Jamison to a contract. Arenas was offered a five-year contract worth more than $100 million by the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
and another max deal by the Wizards, a six-year deal worth $124 million. Arenas was teammates with Jamison during their time in Golden State.
On July 13, 2008, Arenas signed a six-year contract worth $111 million with the Wizards.
Due to the lingering injuries from April 2007, Arenas would not make his season debut until March 28, 2009, scoring 15 points and dishing 10 assists in a 98–96 loss to the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
.
He also played a second and final game against the number one seed Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
on April 2, in which both teams wore their respective throwback jerseys. Arenas dished out 10 assists and scored 11 points, in a win, and fans were excited to see Arenas, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler re-uniting for the only time in the season. However, the Wizards finished poorly with a record of 19–63, the second-worst record in the NBA, tied with the Los Angeles Clippers, ending four years of consecutive playoff appearances.
2009–10 season
Arenas opened the 2009–10 season on a hopeful note, scoring 29 points as the Wizards beat the Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
102–91 in their season opener. However, Arenas' performance would be inconsistent in the weeks ahead; on November 11, he set a Wizards team record for turnovers in a game with 12. On December 12, Arenas netted his first triple-double in years in a loss to the Pacers. Six days later Arenas had a season-best 45 points in a Wizards win over his former team, the Golden State Warriors.
Firearms incident
On December 24, 2009, it was reported that Arenas had admitted to storing unloaded firearms in his locker at the Verizon Center and had surrendered them to team security. In doing so, Arenas not only violated NBA rules against bringing firearms into an arena, but also violated D.C. ordinances as well. On January 1, 2010, it was also reported that Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton had drawn guns on each other in the Wizards' locker room during a Christmas Eve argument regarding gambling debts. The D.C. Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Attorney's office began investigating, and on January 14, 2010, Arenas was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, a violation of Washington, D.C.'s gun-control laws. Arenas pleaded guilty on January 15 to the felony of carrying an unlicensed pistol outside a home or business.
On January 6, 2010, Arenas' 28th birthday, the NBA suspended him indefinitely without pay until its investigation was complete. By nearly all accounts, the league felt compelled to act when Arenas' teammates surrounded him during pregame introductions prior to a game with the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
, and he pretended to shoot them with guns made from his fingers. NBA Commissioner
The commissioner of the NBA is the chief executive of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The current commissioner is Adam Silver, who succeeded David Stern on February 1, 2014.
List of NBA commissioners
Maurice Podoloff (1946–196 ...
David Stern
David Joel Stern (September 22, 1942 – January 1, 2020) was an American lawyer and business executive who was the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1984 to 2014. Stern oversaw NBA basketball's growth into one of t ...
said in a statement that Arenas' behavior after the investigation started "has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game." He also said that Arenas was likely facing a lengthy suspension. The Wizards issued a statement of their own condemning the players' pregame stunt as "unacceptable". On January 27, 2010, Arenas and Crittenton were suspended for the rest of the season, after meeting with Stern. On February 2, 2010, Arenas wrote an open editorial
An editorial, or leading article (UK) or leader (UK), is an article or any other written document, often unsigned, written by the senior editorial people or publisher of a newspaper or magazine, that expresses the publication's opinion about ...
in ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', in which he apologized for his actions, particularly for failing to be a better role model
A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success serves as a model to be emulated by others, especially by younger people. The term ''role model'' is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton, who hypothesized that individuals compa ...
to young fans and for "making light of a serious situation." On March 26, 2010, Arenas was convicted for his crimes and was sentenced to two years' probation and 30 days in a halfway house
A halfway house is a type of prison or institute intended to teach (or reteach) the necessary skills for people to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. Halfway houses are typically either state sponsored for those ...
. Arenas started his sentence in the halfway house on April 9. He was released on May 7. The punishment for Arenas was significantly stiffer than for Crittenton, who received a year of unsupervised probation, or Delonte West, who had been driving around in a three-wheeled motorcycle in Prince George's County with several loaded guns including a shotgun in a violin case. For his crime, West received eight months of home detention, two months of unsupervised probation, and forty hours of community service.
Upon his return to the Wizards for the 2010–11 season, Arenas elected to change his number from 0 to 9, claiming he was trying to put the entire incident from the previous season behind him. (Arenas had worn #0 all the way from college through his time in the NBA as a constant reminder of the number of minutes his critics said he would play in the NBA.)
After the first 24 games of the season, Arenas led the Wizards with an average of 17.3 points per game but the team had one of the worst win-loss records in the league at 6–18.
Orlando Magic (2010–2011)
On December 18, 2010, Arenas was traded to the Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
for Rashard Lewis. Arenas was reunited with former Warriors teammate and draftmate Jason Richardson in Orlando. Arenas chose to wear #1 on his jersey in honor of his favorite player, Penny Hardaway. He was the backup point guard, with Jameer Nelson
Jameer Lamar Nelson Sr. (born February 9, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player who serves as general manager for the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Saint Joseph's Hawks men's ba ...
at the starting role. The Magic finished 52–30 and clinched the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and made the playoffs. However, Orlando lost to the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the opening round of the playoffs.
On December 9, 2011, after the end of the 2011 NBA lockout, Arenas was waived by the Orlando Magic under the amnesty clause, being the first player to be waived under the newly established clause at the time of its inclusion. He cleared waivers and became a free agent. Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, the 2011–12 NBA season was reduced from its normal 82 games to 66 games.
In the summer of 2011, Arenas acted with former Wizards teammate Etan Thomas in a dramatic production of ''Our Town
''Our Town'' is a three-act play written by American playwright Thornton Wilder in 1938. Described by Edward Albee as "the greatest American play ever written", it presents the fictional American town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913 ...
'' by Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, for the novel ''The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and ''The Skin of Our Teeth'', and a U. ...
.
Memphis Grizzlies (2012)
On March 20, 2012, the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
signed Arenas. His primary role was again a backup point guard, this time to Mike Conley Jr. The Grizzlies finished 41–25 and clinched the fourth seed in the Western Conference. However, they lost in the first round to the Los Angeles Clippers in a full seven-game series. Arenas' final NBA game was played in seventh and deciding game of the 2012 Western Conference First Round on May 13, 2012. Memphis lost to the Los Angeles Clippers, with Arenas only playing for 3 minutes and recording no stats; Arenas was only 30 years old in his final NBA game.
Shanghai Sharks (2012–2013)
On November 19, 2012, Arenas signed with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association (), often abbreviated as the CBA, is the first-tier men's professional basketball league in China.
The league is commonly known by fans as the CBA, and this acronym is even used in Chinese on a regular basis ...
(CBA). In his one season in the CBA, Arenas averaged 20.7 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game in 27.3 minutes per game. He played in 14 games and started in 8 of them. However, the Sharks finished at 10–22 and missed the playoffs.
Broadcasting career
Arenas hosted a daily sports show on Complex News' YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel. He also has his own No Chill Productions podcast, ''The No Chill Podcast''. In 2023, he launched another podcast called ''Gil's Arena'' in partnership with Underdog Fantasy Sports which he hosted with Josiah Johnson and featured former NBA and WNBA players such as Brandon Jennings, Rashad McCants, Kenyon Martin, Lexie Brown and Sheryl Swoopes
Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA, is a three-time WNBA MVP, and was named one of the league's Top 15 Players of All Time at the 2 ...
, with Norris Cole
Norris Gene Cole II (born October 13, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Osos de Manatí of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). A 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall point guard, he is a two-time NBA champion, winning back-to-b ...
being a frequent guest on the show. Arenas is a regular co-host alongside Chad Johnson on Shannon Sharpe's podcast, ''Nightcap''. Arenas has had a show and created content with Fubo Tv for many years.
Personal life
Arenas has four children with Laura Govan, whom he dated from 2002 until 2014. Arenas met Govan while he was playing for the Warriors. Govan worked with the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...
' public relations department. Arenas' son Alijah is a 5 star prospect in the class of 2025, who committed to play for the USC Trojans. His daughter Izela Arenas is the 88th ranked prospect in the class of 2024 and is committed to Louisville
Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 24th-largest city; however, by populatio ...
. In July 2024, Arenas announced his engagement to French social media influencer Melli Monaco. Melli and Gilbert married on January 20, 2025.
One of Arenas' cousins is Javier Arenas, a professional football player who played for the NFL's Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
. Another cousin, Armando Murillo, has played in the Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
.
Arenas is a friend of rapper The Game and was listed in the booklet for The Game's second album ''Doctor's Advocate
''Doctor's Advocate'' is the second studio album by American hip hop recording artist the Game, released on November 14, 2006, through Geffen Records. The album is his second major-label release, following 2005's ''The Documentary'', which was ...
.'' He collects a synthetic basketball from each team played, as well as players' jerseys, of which he has more than 400, most of which are autographed. He supported PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; ) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president.
Founded in March 1980 by Newkirk and animal right ...
's anti-fur mission by posing shirtless for their Ink, Not Mink campaign.
Arenas donated $100 for every point he scored in each home game during the 2006–07 season to local D.C.-area schools, while Wizards team owner Abe Pollin matched that contribution for each away game. He has also mentored a D.C. boy who lost his family in a fire at age 10. Arenas got him a job as a ball boy for the Wizards.
Arenas has had his own shoe, the Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
Gil Zero, as well as his own line of Adidas TS Lightswitch shoes. Arenas wears size 14 shoes. Following the gun incident in 2009, Adidas dropped their sponsorship of Arenas. Instead of signing another endorsement deal, he turned to his vast collection of shoes. For nearly every game of the season, Arenas wore a different pair of shoes, wearing a total of 77 different pairs.
Arenas admitted that he ran about 60 red lights in 4 months and got away with it by keeping his dealer plates on his vehicle.
On June 27, 2013, Arenas was arrested by the LAPD
The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
for the possession of illegal fireworks.
Career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Golden State
, 47 , , 30 , , 24.6 , , .453 , , .345 , , .775 , , 2.8 , , 3.7 , , 1.5 , , .2 , , 10.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Golden State
, 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 35.0 , , .431 , , .348 , , .791 , , 4.7 , , 6.3 , , 1.5 , , .2 , , 18.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 55 , , 52 , , 37.6 , , .392 , , .375 , , .748 , , 4.6 , , 5.0 , , 1.9 , , .2 , , 19.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 80 , , 80 , , 40.9 , , .431 , , .365 , , .814 , , 4.7 , , 5.1 , , 1.7 , , .3 , , 25.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 80 , , 80 , , 42.3 , , .447 , , .369 , , .820 , , 3.5 , , 6.1 , , 2.0 , , .3 , , 29.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 74 , , 73 , , 39.8 , , .418 , , .351 , , .844 , , 4.6 , , 6.0 , , 1.9 , , .2 , , 28.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 13 , , 8 , , 32.7 , , .398 , , .282 , , .771 , , 3.9 , , 5.1 , , 1.8 , , .1 , , 19.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 2 , , 2 , , 31.5 , , .261 , , .286 , , .750 , , 4.5 , , 10.0 , , .0 , , .5 , , 13.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 32 , , 32 , , 36.5 , , .411 , , .348 , , .739 , , 4.2 , , 7.2 , , 1.3 , , .3 , , 22.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 21 , , 14 , , 34.6 , , .394 , , .324 , , .836, , 3.3 , , 5.6 , , 1.4 , , .6 , , 17.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Orlando
Orlando commonly refers to:
* Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States
Orlando may also refer to:
People
* Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name
* Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
, 49 , , 2 , , 21.6 , , .344 , , .275 , , .744 , , 2.4 , , 3.2 , , .9 , , .2 , , 8.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
, 17 , , 0 , , 12.4 , , .406 , , .333 , , .700 , , 1.1 , , 1.1 , , .6 , , .1 , , 4.2
, - class="sortbottom
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 552 , , 455 , , 35.0 , , .421 , , .351 , , .803 , , 3.9 , , 5.3 , , 1.6 , , .2 , , 20.7
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star
, 3 , , 1 , , 15.0 , , .261 , , .250 , , .500 , , 1.0 , , 2.3 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 5.3
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 10 , , 10 , , 45.0 , , .376 , , .234 , , .766 , , 5.2 , , 6.2 , , 2.1 , , .6 , , 23.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 6 , , 6 , , 47.3 , , .464 , , .435 , , .771 , , 5.5 , , 5.3 , , 2.2 , , .7 , , 34.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 4 , , 2 , , 23.5 , , .389 , , .417 , , .833 , , 1.8 , , 2.8 , , .5 , , .0 , , 10.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
, style="text-align:left;", Orlando
Orlando commonly refers to:
* Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States
Orlando may also refer to:
People
* Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name
* Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
, 5 , , 0 , , 16.2 , , .429 , , .250 , , .667 , , 2.8 , , 2.4 , , .2 , , .2 , , 8.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
, 6 , , 0 , , 12.5 , , .250 , , .000 , , .000 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , .0 , , .0 , , 0.7
, - class="sortbottom
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 31 , , 18 , , 30.1 , , .410 , , .305 , , .769 , , 3.5 , , 3.8 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 17.1
College
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 1999–00
, style="text-align:left;", Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, 34 , , 31 , , 32.1 , , .453 , , .292 , , .750 , , 4.1 , , 2.1 , , 2.1 , , .3 , , 15.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2000–01
, style="text-align:left;", Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, 36 , , 33 , , 29.0 , , .479 , , .416 , , .724 , , 3.6 , , 2.3 , , 1.8 , , .2 , , 16.2
, - class="sortbottom
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 70 , , 64 , , 30.5 , , .466 , , .361 , , .738 , , 3.8 , , 2.2 , , 1.9 , , .2 , , 15.8
Awards and honors
* 3-time NBA All-Star
The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Traditionally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of ...
: 2005, 2006, 2007
* 3-time All-NBA Team
The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The team has been sel ...
:
:* Second team: 2007
:* Third team: 2005, 2006
* NBA Most Improved Player Award
The NBA's Most Improved Player (MIP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season compared to previous seasons. The winner is selected by a panel of sportsw ...
: 2003
* NBA All-Star Rookie/Sophomore Game MVP: 2003
* NBA regular season leader, minutes played: 2006 (3,384)
* NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December 2006. Averaged a league-high 34.1 points
A point is a small dot or the sharp tip of something. Point or points may refer to:
Mathematics
* Point (geometry), an entity that has a location in space or on a plane, but has no extent; more generally, an element of some abstract topologica ...
per game during December.[Gilbert Arenas Bio](_blank)
NBA.com
* 7-time NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week (1-time in 2004–05, 3-time in 2005–06 and 2006–07).
* NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for April 2002.
* Cover Player of ''NBA Live 08
''NBA Live 08'' is the 2007 installment of the ''NBA Live'' series by EA Sports. It was released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows and PlayStation Portable. This is the first ''NBA'' video game to include all three ne ...
''
* 2007 Weblog Award for Best Celebrity Blogger
* All-Pac-10 First Team: 2001
Career records
* Career-high 60 points on December 17, 2006, vs. the Los Angeles Lakers (breaking Earl Monroe
Vernon Earl Monroe (born November 21, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for two teams, the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks, during his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Both teams ...
's franchise record of 56 on February 13, 1968
Events January–February
* January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously.
* January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
).
* Career 50-plus-point games (regular season): 3
* Career 40-plus-point games (regular season): 29 (28 with Washington)
* Career 40-plus-point games (playoffs): 1
* On November 6, 2009, he scored his 10,000th career point, making a three-pointer against the Indiana Pacers.
* Most points scored in an overtime period (regular season): 16, set on December 17, 2006
Wizards franchise records
* Held franchise record for most three-point field goals made all time with 868
* Holds franchise record for most points in a game (60 against the Los Angeles Lakers).
* Holds franchise record for most turnovers in a game (12 against the Miami Heat, November 11, 2009).
See also
*
* List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
* List of people banned or suspended by the NBA
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arenas, Gilbert
1982 births
Living people
20th-century African-American sportsmen
20th-century American sportsmen
21st-century African-American writers
African-American male writers
American bloggers
American expatriate basketball people in China
American male bloggers
American men's basketball players
American sports podcasters
American sportspeople of Cuban descent
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players
Basketball players from Los Angeles
Basketball players from Tampa, Florida
Golden State Warriors draft picks
Golden State Warriors players
Grant High School (Los Angeles) alumni
Memphis Grizzlies players
NBA All-Stars
NBA controversies
Orlando Magic players
Point guards
Shanghai Sharks players
Washington Wizards players
American people of Afro-Cuban descent