Gilbert Arenas

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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' due to his jersey number (0) and also 'Hibachi' for 'cooking' opponents. He 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 21, 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. He 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 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. He was named first-team All-Pac-10 in 2001. He helped lead Arizona to the national championship game, losing to Duke. He entered the 2001 NBA draft after his sophomore year. He was selected 31st overall by Golden State. He wore number 0 to signify the number of minutes experts predicted he would play as a 17-year-old low-end prospect from a small high school going to a college powerhouse. 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 after the season and reportedly flipped a coin to decide among teams including the Wizards, Warriors, and Clippers. The Wizards offered a six-year, $60 million contract, which the Warriors could not match due to salary cap rules. The 'Gilbert Arenas Rule' was later created. In his first Washington 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. He hit a game-winning fade

In Their Own Story

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 secure a 112–110 win over the Chicago Bulls. This victory propelled the Wizards to their first playoff series win since 1997, though they were eventually swept by the Miami Heat in the second round. The following season, during the 2005–06 campaign, Arenas averaged 29.3 points, two steals, and 6.1 assists per game. Although initially snubbed for the All-Star Game, he was named a replacement after Jermaine O'Neal's injury and placed second in the Three-point Shootout behind Dirk Nowitzki. One of his most memorable plays occurred during Round 1 of the 2006 playoffs against the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, where he hit a 40-foot jump shot before the Wizards were eliminated in six games.

Reader's Guide

Arenas played point guard and shooting guard. He was known for his scoring, clutch shooting, and nicknames 'Agent Zero' and 'Hibachi'. His career included stints with the Warriors, Wizards, Magic, and Grizzlies.

Did You Know?

• Arenas wore number 0 to signify the zero minutes experts predicted he would play as a 17-year-old low-end prospect from a small high school going to a college powerhouse.
• He was nicknamed 'Agent Zero' by a Wizards fansite in 2006.
• He was the first NBA player waived under the amnesty clause after the 2011 lockout.
• His paternal grandfather Hipolito Arenas Sr. was a first-generation Cuban American and Negro League baseball player.