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Star Spotlight
Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas has been called "The Wonder Guard" of the NBA. He is the second leading scorer in the NBA and has scored more than 50 points in three games so far this season. Besides being a hoops superstar, Gilbert has earned himself a reputation as a jokester, and is often playing pranks on his teammates and friends. But don't let the smile and infectious laugh fool you—Gilbert is serious about the game of basketball and about helping others in need. After Hurricane Katrina, Gilbert purchased much needed supplies like blankets, diapers, food, and other necessities, and sent them directly to shelters in New Orleans. Scholastic News Online recently caught up with Gilbert. Read on to learn more!
Q & A
Q:
How has being on a team made you who are today?
Gilbert Arenas: When you're on a team, you meet your lifelong friends. You get on a team and you meet guys that you probably wouldn't have met if you weren't playing that sport. You make friends and you learn how to cope and feel things with a team. You learn how to set goals with people. It's not just you. You're sacrificing for one goal. You become a unit.
Q:
What was the most thrilling moment in your basketball career?
Gilbert: The day the coach called my name to go into the game and I scored my first two points of my NBA career. I felt like I made these two points and no one could ever take me out of the record book. Even if those were the last two points I ever scored, at least I got to play in the NBA.
Q:
Are there any rules that you live your life by?
Gilbert: Simplicity, honesty, and respect. I like living a simple life.
Q:
What advice would you give to a teenager who doesn't have self-confidence?
Gilbert: Always stick with it. It is hard sometimes. You go through phases where you don't believe in yourself. I went through that, too. I got drafted and I felt like I wasn't ready for the NBA, but then my college coach sent me a tape of myself. And I watched myself play and it gave me confidence and I realized I really could do this. All I did was work. When you work, you do stuff over, and over, and you start to believe. And when you start to believe in yourself, you make others believe too. I always tell kids this story: Muhammad Ali was the best boxer in the world—because he said he was.
Q:
What do you most enjoy about being a superstar athlete?
Gilbert: You have a forum and a voice. You are a role model. Being little, I had [role models], but now I'm somebody's role model. And it feels good because I want to try to be the best role model that I can be. I'm going to make mistakes. People make mistakes. We're human. But at the end of the day, I want to be the best role model that I can be.
Q:
If you weren't a professional athlete, what do you think you would be?
Gilbert: Probably a commercial writer or a really, really bad comedian. At times I can be funny, but I don't know how long that can last.
Q:
You're known for giving away your jerseys after a game. About how many jerseys do you give away each year?
Gilbert: Anywhere from 150 to 200.
Q:
Do you ever feel the pressure to perform, or even just nerves before a game? If so, how do you handle it?
Gilbert: I get nervous before every game. People deal with it in different ways. Some people listen to music and get really hyped up. But with me, I like to laugh and giggle and act like I'm not even paying attention to it.
Q:
What do you want your fans to know about you or think about you?
Gilbert: I don't want them to think of me as an NBA player. I want them to think of me as a fan who's playing their game. I don't want to be referred to as an NBA player. When kids say, "Oh, Mr. Arenas!" I say, "No, I'm just Gilbert. Don't worry about the last name that's on the jersey. They put that there. I'm just like you. I'm a big fan."
—Interview by Marie Morreale
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Gilbert Arenas
(Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon SMI/NewsCom)
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STAR STATS
Star Calendar
For The Washington Wizards schedule and more information on Gilbert, visit this Web site.
Star Stats
Name: Gilbert Arenas
Nicknames: Gil, Agent Zero, Stealth
Birthday: January 6, 1982
Birthplace: Miami, Florida
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210 pounds
Star Faves
Hobbies: He collects jerseys of NBA players—he has over 200!
School Subject: Social Studies
Relaxation: video games
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