Gilbert Arenas Is THAT Good
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by user Joebook
Everyone passed him in the first round. The Chicago Bulls passed him in the second round. When the Golden State Warriors finally made him the 31st player selected in the 2001 NBA Draft, Gilbert Arenas, the crafty two-guard from Arizona, had a home. What few people knew is that he would soon be one of the NBA's best players.
At Arizona, he wasn't a prototypical point guard, and he was told that he wasn't big enough to play shooting guard in the NBA. He was seen as a man without a position, and those players usually get lost in the gap between the NCAA and the big time. At 6-3, he would have matchup problems defensively, according to the scouts. He would have to find a way to survive.
While his rookie year wasn't spectacular, Arenas made a name for himself with big performances in the second half of the season. He averaged 16.6 points, 6.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game in April of 2002, after taking over a starting position. He had already planted the seed for future success.
After starting all 82 games during his second season and averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 assists, the Warriors allowed him to leave via free agency. The Washington Wizards quickly swooped in and signed Arenas to a 6-year, $65 million dollar contract. He'd be worth every penny.
Since joining the Wizards, he's emerged as one of the best scorers in the NBA. His scoring average has increased every season, highlighted by his 29.5 ppg last year. He has become one of the league's most effective free throw shooters, making 82% of his 799 attempts during the 2005-06 season.
Even with such phenomenal numbers, Arenas has flown under the radar until this year. In several games, he has carried the Wizards on his back and led them to victory. In an overtime game on December 17 in Los Angeles, Arenas scored 60 on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a 147-141 win. He was relentless in driving to the basket, as evidenced by his 27 free throw attempts. He also poured in 54 points on 21-37 shooting in a win at Phoenix.
Arenas is averaging 35.0 points and 6.2 assists in this month of December 2006, a time period in which his Wizards are currently 11-3 and making a push to become one of the elite in the Eastern Conference. His team is 13-1 this season when he scores 30+ points, and he's leading the NBA by averaging 3.4 three-pointers made per game.
If the Wizards are able to earn one of the top-4 seeds in a weak Eastern Conference, and Arenas stays healthy, he should get heavy consideration for the NBA MVP award. He'll be 25 years old in January and should be around for many years. He's making the NBA fun to watch again, and will be one of the league's brightest stars for a long time.
Gilbert Arenas is THAT good.
