Who would have thought that two NBA teammates would end up drawing guns on each other over a card game debt? Keeping the jokes aside, Gilbert Arenas opened up about the “dark” side of the 2009 incident. There’s now even a docu-series about what happened at the time. Burying that long behind him in the past, Arenas has now claimed his empire back with his skills in the broadcasting world and ingenious business deals. However, looking back at how things went down, Agent recalled the one emotion that sent him to a dark place.
One can’t deny how the Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton locker room standoff became one of the most shocking incidents in basketball history, transforming a simple gambling dispute into a career-ending scandal that rocked the Washington Wizards and the entire league. While Arenas had an unloaded one, Crittenton had it loaded, which caused everyone to run away from the locker room. As per the punishment by the league, both players were suspended for the remainder of the season.
As Arenas has always detailed, the incident made a negative impact on his career as well as the other player involved. After his suspension, Arenas returned to the Wizards for the 2010–11 season. However, after that, he was traded to the Orlando Magic in December 2010, which is 847.4 miles away from Washington. It was a tough time for him. “I get thrown out and outcasted, and it’s like I do one mistake, the 99 things I’ve done it all get clear with one mistake,” Arenas said on The Gil’s Arena. Recalling the time, he further went on to explain what he did so that people couldn’t recognize him.
“I’m batting 99% and this is how I’m treated? I went into a dark place. I remember when I got traded to, I grew my face here cuz I don’t want you to recognize me no more, and then when I got traded to Orlando, I tinted all my windows black so people didn’t even know I lived there. Throwing up every morning, didn’t watch basketball; Went into just hiding, and then I realized at the end of the day no one gave a s—-,” he opened his heart to former Pacers player Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal too faced several difficulties sparked by one incident, the Malice at the Palace.
Apr 3, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies point guard Gilbert Arenas (10) dribbles the ball up the court during the second half against the Golden State Warriors at the FedEx Forum. The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Golden State Warriors 98-94. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
The former Washington Wizards player added how, after the incident, he slowly began to build his career back as he thought nobody “cared.” Everything about the former NBA players, their careers, and that particular incident is discussed in the Netflix docuseries Untold: Shooting Guards.
Walter Thompson-Hernández sheds light on the 2009 incident
Nearly 15 years after the drama, ‘Untold: Shooting Guards’ was released this year, detailing the incident and how it impacted the players’ careers. Arenas, who led the Washington Wizards to four consecutive playoff appearances from 2005 to 2008, was always the most entertaining man. He has always tended to crack jokes and pull pranks to lighten every situation.
As per ESPN, Crittenton was sentenced to one year of probation, while Arenas was ordered to serve two years of probation, complete 400 hours of community service, and pay a $5,000 fine. At the age of 30, Arenas played his last game in May 2012. During the Pivot Podcast, he stated that the aftermath of the incident led him to walk away from the game he is so passionate about.
The director, Walter Thompson-Hernández, spent nearly a year interviewing the two former players. “There was just so much that happened before that event and after that event. I wanted to portray a story that was incredibly layered and multifaceted,” Walter told The Washington Post.
After the suspension, Crittenton tried to get back in the game and joined the Charlotte Bobcats for training camp in 2010 but was released before the regular season began. He later played overseas in China in 2010 and with the Dakota Wizards in the NBA D-League in 2011. However, certain other serious incidents stopped him from making a comeback.
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