Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas had his fair share of controversies during his heyday. Things haven’t changed all that much now that he’s retired. While there are no more gun-wielding scandals these days — at least that we know of — Arenas still continues to make headlines with his hot takes on the state of the NBA today.
Well, the 41-year-old is at it again, this time deciding to take aim at LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, among others. In his recent statement, Arenas explained why Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is a much more feared individual as compared to his peers in the NBA.
Gilbert Arenas Says ‘There’s No Reasoning’ With Giannis Antetokounmpo On The Basketball Court
In a recent interview on Vlad TV, Arenas was asked who he believes the most feared player in the league is today. The former three-time All-NBA point guard dropped a few names around before being asked to settle on just one player. It was at this point that Arenas turned his attention to Giannis:
“I’ll probably say [Greek Freak], because he is going to do it on both ends,” Arenas said. “There is no reasoning with this motherf when it comes to the court. When he is stepping on the court, you know what’s gonna happen.”
I see no lies here. Not only is Giannis Antetokounmpo a totally imposing physical specimen, but his dominance on the basketball court is indeed more than enough to strike fear in the hearts of his opponents. I’m pretty sure more than a few NBA players — both former and current — would agree with Gilbert Arenas’ statement here.
Gilbert Arenas Slaps LeBron James, Nikola Jokic With Harsh Giannis Antetokounmpo Reality
In the same interview, Arenas then focused on some former greats who like Giannis, also gave their opponents nightmares. Arenas compared the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Allen Iverson to assassins who aimed to kill their opponents on the court — figuratively speaking, of course. According to Arenas, both LeBron James and Nikola Jokic just don’t possess this type of killer instinct:
“With LeBron, you’re dying too … (but) there’s no seven days, eight days of pain,” Arenas said. “So when you say, ‘Who would I rather die from?’ I’d rather die with LeBron, he’s gonna give me the easiest possible way.
“Like Jokic — no one is fearing Jokic. Most of his crap is, ‘I’m going to rebound, going throw a little assist, and have 20-something points.’ No one is afraid of 20-something points. … Greek Freak is more feared than Jokic.”
Coming from a guy who actually played the game at a high level for more than a decade, you have to put some stock into what Arenas is saying here. It’s true that he played in a different era, but the type of dominance and the level of dismay Giannis Antetokounmpo brings to the table transcends the constricts of time.
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