Gilbert Arenas, once heralded as a top-five player in the NBA, recalled the gun-toting incident in the Washington Wizards locker room which almost cost him his career.
The incident occurred on Christmas Eve of 2009 and it involved Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton. Reports reveal that the gun incident was sparked by a heated gambling game, per John Gold of The Action Network.
“They figured it out, JaVale wins,” Arenas said. “The plane lands and now Javaris says to JaVale, ‘So you just gonna let me lose my money like that? You ain’t even gonna be a real n—- and give me a chance to get my money back? Aw hell naw, this is the type of shit that gets you fucked up in these streets.’ I was like, ‘Javaris, I will burn your car, while you’re in it. Then we’ll find an extinguisher to help ya ass out,’ and he says, ‘Well, I’ll just shoot you then.’ I said, ‘Man, I’ll bring you the guns to shoot me!’”
Arenas did not deny that the argument was borne out of the game. But he did point out that it wasn't all about the money. Arenas explained his side of the story.
“This had nothing to do with gambling debts,” Arenas said, disputing what had become the oft-reported explanation for the locker-room showdown. “It was about the shit-talking while I was losing. It was like someone scoring on you every time down. I’m the designated shit-talker. I could be down $40,000, but if I irritated someone so bad they feel like they lost $20K? I’m happy. I won. I don’t feel like the biggest loser of the night.”
Arenas was suspended indefinitely without pay until the investigation was complete. Come March 2010, he was convicted for his crimes and was sentenced to two years' probation and 30 days in a halfway house.
In February 2010, in the middle of the whole ordeal, Arenas sent out a letter and apologized for his actions, particularly on his failure of being a role model to young kids and fans alike.
Almost a decade later, the memory still lingers. Though it has left a considerable stain on his career, Agent Zero's impact on the game cannot be outweighed by that single incident alone.
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