Gilbert Arenas: “It’s reason the league blackball this guy” – Gilbert Arenas trashing Team USA has NBA fans roasting him

Gilbert Arenas was an All-Star during his time in the NBA, but controversies took their toll on his career, leading to a premature exile from the league for the guard. However, that doesn't seem to have stopped him from continuing to pursue his penchant for controversy.

Gilbert Arenas' 'Gil's Arena' podcast has gathered a loyal following over recent years and has made Arenas a relevant voice in basketball once again. This has led to a few hot takes and controversial dialogues taking the fore through Arenas' platform.

The latest controversy appears to have stemmed from the declaration of Team USA Basketball's roster for the FIBA World Cup and their subsequent losses to the USA Select Team in scrimmages. The former Wizards star does not appear to be a fan of certain NBA players who have been given the opportunity to represent the United States on the world stage.

On his podcast, while interviewing Trae Young - a notable omission from the list of interested players for Team USA Basketball, Arenas made this critique of the roster.

However, despite the lack of real star power in the team, fans seem to be siding with Kerr's selections and have resorted to calling out Arenas and his comment.

Is Gilbert Arenas' claim about there being non-starters in Team USA Basketball, accurate?

While the roster isn't quite the Dream Team, or the Redeem Team-esque even, there is considerable star power and youth in the squad. It certainly projects as an exciting bunch for Team USA.

The latest rumored starting group comprises Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram, and Jaren Jackson Jr. That's definitely a list of NBA A-listers.

Bobby Portis, who started only 22 games for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022-23, and Austin Reaves, who started the same number for the Los Angeles Lakers are the only non-starters. But of that, Reaves projects as a starting option for the Lakers going into the 2023-24 season.

Gilbert Arenas' statement isn't completely off, but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous. And the fandom certainly made it a point to let him know his comments weren't welcome.

About the author

Achyuth Jayagopal is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over three years of experience in the field with The Sports Rush and Sportskeeda. He is also a qualified lawyer and is pursuing a Master's degree in Sports Business and Management.

Achyuth's favorite team is the Milwaukee Bucks. One of the reasons Achyuth started following basketball was the story of Giannis Antetokounmpo, as his journey is extremely inspiring. Achyuth has been rooting for Giannis and the Bucks ever since.

When not writing or watching basketball, Achyuth is mostly focused on his coursework. That said, in his downtime, Achyuth plays a lot of sports games, watches movies and appreciates traveling. He also enjoys cooking and replicates his favorite dishes when he is away from home.

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