As interesting as Gilbert Arenas may have been, sometimes the best way to summarize Arenas' topsy-turvey tenure in D.C. is through other people's words. We try to do that here as Gilbert Arenas Tribute Day rolls on.
There has been a lot said about Gilbert during his nearly seven and a half year career in DC. As a result, it is very difficult to narrow down a list of the top 10 quotes about him. It is very likely that you will recall others that stick out in your mind.
However, here are the 10 that struck me as being funny, insightful and in some cases completely ridiculous. Please note that the following quotes are not listed in any particular order.
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"He has the green light - a neon green light - to go at the offensive end. It's greener than anyone else's in the NBA." - Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic guard
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"Gilbert Arenas is the worst person on Earth. He's a coach killer and a team killer. He's a team killer, Gilbert Arenas. That's why - he got Eddie Jordan fired. He didn't play." - Tony Kornheiser, ESPN and former Washington Post Columnist
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"Before his knee broke, Gilbert won the Wiz their first playoff series in two decades. He also filled the stands, sold jerseys, hit last-second shots, became the most popular athlete in this city and made people care about that sorry basketball franchise. That's a strange list of accomplishments for a team killer." - Dan Steinberg, Washington Post
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"They used to make him get doughnuts, a rookie thing. I would come in early and he'd be putting baby powder [as if it was powdered sugar] on the doughnuts or licking them and putting them back in the box. He would look at me and laugh whenever someone would eat one. That's when I shut down eating doughnuts." - Troy Murphy, former Golden State Warriors teammate
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"You know, they have to understand Gil's heart [for] the game, [with] how much passion this guy loves the game. It's not about the money for him." - Gilbert Arenas, Sr.
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"He's not moving to the beat of a different drummer. He's moving to a different beat." - Eddie Jordan, Former Washington Wizards Head Coach
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"Gilbert is going to be Gilbert. He's a special, quirky kid and people misinterpret that to [mean] he's just weird. But I think he's just a different kid. His uniqueness is that he does whatever it takes to win." - Otis Smith, Orlando Magic Executive Basketball Operations Director
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"He says it every time he shoots. Everybody hears it - whenever Gilbert talks, everybody hears. He really was screaming it this morning in the shootaround, so 'hibachi' it is. He's on fire, so 'hibachi." - Caron Butler, former Washington Wizards teammate
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"When you play for the Wizards, [Gilbert Arenas] is like Michael Jackson. He's playin with a lot of Tito Jacksons." - Charles Barkley, TNT NBA Analyst
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"But [Arenas] individually, it's funny. He doesn't seem to have much of a conscience. I really don't think he does. Some of the shots he took tonight, you miss those, and they're just terrible shots. Awful. You make them and they're unbelievable shots. I don't get a chance to play him much, so I haven't gotten used to that mentality of just chucking it up there. He made some big ones, but I'll be ready next time." - Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers following a 2006 Wizards win in which Arenas scored 60 points.
Join in. Feel free to use the thread to add your favorite quotes about Gilbert Arenas.