NBA's Gilbert Arenas In Gunslinging Poker Fiasco
January 4, 2010 10:48 amWashington Wizards’ Gilbert Arenas is to meet with law officials today, investigating the allegation that he and his teammate Javaris Crittenton, pulled guns on each other in the Wizards locker room over a $25,000 gambling debt.
Gilbert Arenas has a reputation for being a high stakes gambler, and has admitted in the past to playing online poker in the team locker room during halftime breaks, gambling for thousands of dollars aboard the team jet, and winning at least 10 victories in poker tournaments among teammates.
In this latest fiasco, Arenas is believed to have owed Crittenton $25,000, but seemed in no hurry to square his debt. While on a team flight on Dec. 19th, Crittenton became angry with Arenas’ attempt to shirk his responsibility, and told him, “I’m not your punk!” A couple of days later, Arenas allegedly tried to intimidate his teammate by placing three guns near Crittenton locker and telling him to choose one. The players allegedly then drew guns on each other, although no shots were fired.
Commenting on the storm now brewing following the incident, Arenas said: “I can’t speak on that. But if you know me, you’ve been here, I’ve never did anything (involving) violence. Anything I do is funny – well, it’s funny to me.”
Arenas is also claiming that he brought the guns into the locker room at the Verizon Center for safe keeping away from his three young children, and that they were not loaded: “That’s bad judgment on my part to store them in here, and I take responsibility for that,” he said. “I have to deal with the police investigation..I have to put it in their hands and see what they say.”
Trying to downplay the whole situation, Arenas said, “We were friends before, we’re friends now,” but despite his confidence and attempts to diffuse the controversy, Arenas must now be worried his six-year, $111 million dollar contract with the Washington Wizards might still be voided.