Gilbert Arenas tells Draymond Green how the 2010 locker room fight with Javaris Crittenton derailed his career. He was already dealing with three knee surgeries in 14 months when the incident happened, but it became the story that defined him. Injuries in China and the U.S. eventually ended his playing days.
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— you become a 3-time All-Star, which is huge. Career going great. Then you run into the unfortunate incident with Javaris Critton. How do you think, or do you think, that situation really changed the way Gilbert Arenas was treated in the NBA, the way Gilbert Arenas was looked at? Do you think that really ended up changing the outcome of your career?
No, see, before that, I had 3 knee surgeries in 14 months.
Yeah, you had microfractures, right?
Yeah, I had the microfractures that just ruined everyone's career.
Absolutely.
You know, so I was part of that experiment. So truth be told, I wasn't the same player. When I got into the trouble, I wasn't the same player. My owner just passed. Them being loyal to me wasn't, it was more business at that point. You know, Mr. A. Pollin signed his guy to a max deal, you know what I mean?
Absolutely.
'Cause Mr., and this was what happened. The year before, when I opted out of my contract, I'm hurt, only played 2 games. Mr. Pollin said, I don't care what they saying, "you did your job, whatever you want, I'm gonna sign it. Whatever you want, I don't care what you want, I'm gonna sign it. I don't care what the doctor said, I don't care what the general manager's saying. So you're my guy, you lived up to yours, I'mma live up to mine and sign me to the 111." Right?
Mm-hmm.
So he didn't listen to the experts, he didn't listen to the general manager, he didn't listen to no doctor, he didn't care. So once he passed, I remember, I remember, We're at the ceremony and Brendan Haywood was like, he looked at me and said, "Yeah, they gonna come. You better be on your best behavior. They gonna come after that contract." Man, I'm untouchable, man. They ain't doing nothing to me, right? No, he was right. I was wrong, right? So, you know, going through that situation with Javaris, it was real shocking because it's like my whole thing was like, man, you can do 100 things right, you make one mistake, it erases your whole legacy.
Absolutely.
Your whole legacy. Like, my whole legacy is cleared out for one bad decision, one bad judgment. You know what I mean? And that's what didn't sit well with me. Like, the Wizards part, you know, that's expected. You know, that's business. I get it. I understand that. I would have did the same thing. You know, especially now when you're older. You know, it's business. It's just, you know, I gave them a chance to do it, you know, and they have to make their decisions. So, you know, but my thing was just worldwide over is like, you know, this one thing is what you're judging me off of now. And that's, you know, I couldn't sleep at night with that. Like, that's where I just lost the love. Like, it's like I was batting 100%. I missed one shot. I'm the sorriest motherfucker on the planet. Like, I can't live with that, man. And then that's where, you know, I really kind of had lost the love at that moment. And then right there, I was just moving through the motions.
So you lose love for that. You're also battling the microfracture stuff and injuries from that. I know towards the end of your career, where the last year you end up playing, you went over to Shanghai and played with the Shanghai Sharks. Do you ever look back at your time in Shanghai, or do you feel like you weren't just quite the player that you were anymore to do that? But do you ever look back at your time in Shanghai and wonder or wish you would've stayed over there longer after looking at the business that Stephon Marbury end up building and going over to China and kind of making a career out of it after the NBA?
Nah, see, so when I— so I was the— before I went to Shanghai, I was working out with the Clippers. So I was playing with the Clippers that summer. You know, they had open gym. Bello was there, everybody was there. So I'm playing well. And then the Lakers open up their practice facility 2 weeks before training camp start. So that's when like Steve Nash was there. That's when that team was coming in. So I'm playing well, like, you know, Eddie Jordan, my head coach, he's the assistant coach over there. Mike Brown came over. So I'm tearing they asses up, right? So I'm talking to Eddie and he's like, "What are you gonna do?" He said, "'Cause they really like you. So they're trying to see if you wanna go to the—" At the time, I think it still was the D-League. And you play on the D-League team, get all the understanding of the offense. I was like, what offense? The one I created? The Princeton? Like, I don't have to worry about that. I know that like the back of my head. And he was like, you know, that's what they're saying, just to stay in shape. 'Cause you know, they don't wanna— the season starts and you're just in limbo mode. So I was like, you know, I'm thinking about going to China.
Mm-hmm.
You know, I'm thinking about going to China, get my little swag back over there, shoot the shit. You know, shoot every shot, you know?
Absolutely.
And I ain't thinking about passing the ball. He was like, "That'd be a good thing." I didn't know Doc Rivers was inviting me to training camp for the Clippers. But, you know, it was when I heard about it, I'm like, "Nah," because they just signed JJ Redick. They got Jamal Crawford, Chris Paul. So I'm like, "I'm not gonna play." I mean, I'm not gonna put myself in a situation where I can get some time to show I still got it. So I end up going to, you know, I end up, you know, going to China, make the team. The coach there, I'm glad I don't even remember this motherfucker name, bro. I'm glad I don't remember his name. He made me train 10 days straight, 2-a-days.
What?
Right? Yeah, to see if I was in shape, to see if I had it, like, you know what I mean? And just twirl my body. So by the time we got to the first game, we're playing against Stephon Marbury. Came down, hit a 3 on him, came back down, pulled my groin.
Oh.
Pulled 3 muscles in my groin. Yeah. So pulled 3 muscles in my groin, and that's what kind of hurt my situation there. So I had to come back to the States. You know, I finished the season like, you know, hobbling here and there. Came back to the States, rehabbed all summer, And then I was playing with Boogie. I was playing with Boogie and me and Boogie was playing well. He said he was gonna get me an invite to play for SAC. So it's gonna go, you know, SAC or go back to China. And I played in the Drew League.
Mm-hmm. And pulled a groin again.
Tore my meniscus.
Jesus.
Yeah, so it was one of those things like, all right, I give it up. Yeah, this is it. I get it, I get it. I understand. I give it up. So that was really how it kind of ended that, you know, every time I put so much work in and then a little knack, let me know, let it go.
Yeah.
Let it go.
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