Gilbert Arenas

Three-time NBA All-Star and Most Improved Player known as 'Agent Zero'.

Gilbert Jay Arenas Jr. (born January 6, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Grant High School in the Valley Glen district of Los Angeles and accepted a scholarship to the University of Arizona. He was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the 31st overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft.

Quick Facts

Born: 6 January 1982
Birthplace: Tampa, Florida, U.S.
High school: Grant (Los Angeles, California)
College: Arizona (1999–2001)
Draft round: 2
Draft pick: 31
Drafted by: Golden State Warriors
Career position: Point guard; shooting guard

Lore & Background

Arenas was a three-time NBA All-Star, three-time All-NBA Team member during his time in Washington, and was voted NBA Most Improved Player in the 2002–03 season. He 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 became fan favorites in the Washington, D.C. area. Arenas played point guard and shooting guard. He was suspended for most of the 2009–10 season due to handgun violations from an incident on December 24, 2009. In late 2010, he was traded to the Orlando Magic. After the 2011 lockout, he was the first player waived under the amnesty clause, then signed with the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2011–12 season, his final season.

Reader's Guide

Arenas was born in Tampa, Florida, to Gilbert Arenas Sr. and Mary Francis Robinson. His paternal grandfather Hipolito Arenas Sr. was a first-generation Cuban American and an American Negro League baseball player. He was raised in the San Fernando Valley and played at Ulysses S. Grant High School, where his number 25 was retired. He was ranked 99th in the class of 1999. Before his freshman year at Arizona, he attended Michael Jordan's basketball camp and impressed Jordan. Rodney Tention recruited him to Arizona. In college, he played 34 games as a freshman, averaging 15.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG. In his sophomore year, he was first-team All-Pac-10 and helped Arizona reach the national championship game, losing to Duke. He entered the 2001 NBA draft after his sophomore year. He was selected 31st overall by the Warriors. He wore number 0 to signify the minutes experts predicted he would play. He made his NBA debut on November 4, 2001. He started 30 games as a rookie, averaging 10.9 PPG. In 2002–03, he won Most Improved Player, averaging 18.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. He became a restricted free agent and signed a six-year, $60 million contract with the Wizards, which the Warriors could not match. The 'Gilbert Arenas Rule' was later created. In his first Wizards season, he battled a strained abdominal muscle. In 2004–05, he teamed with Larry Hughes to form the highest-scoring backcourt duo, was selected to his first All-Star Game, and led the Wizards to a 45-win season and first playoff berth since 1997. In the 2005 playoffs, he hit a game-winning fadeaway in Game 5 against the Bulls. The Wizards won that series but were swept by the Heat in the second round. In 2006, Wizards fansite Wizznutzz.com jokingly nicknamed him 'Agent Zero'.

Did You Know?

He was also called 'Hibachi' for his ability to 'heat up' quickly.
He was the first player waived under the NBA's amnesty clause after the 2011 lockout.