After over a decade away, the prodigal son of Washington is coming home.
Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington reported on Wednesday that the Wizards are set to honor controversial former player Gilbert Arenas during their Nov. 18 contest against Miami as part of the 25th anniversary of their rebrand. Arenas’ ex-Wizards teammates Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison will also be honored during the festivities.
For better or for worse, Arenas was the best-known Wizards player of the mid-to-late 2000s. He played for Washington from 2003 to 2010, earning three All-Star selections and three All-NBA nods as a member of the team. But of course, Arenas’ tenure with the Wizards ended in disgrace after the infamous incident where Arenas and his then-teammate Javaris Crittenton pulled guns on each other in the locker room. Arenas was suspended for the rest of the season and eventually got traded by Washington less than a year after the incident occurred.
Granted, almost 13 years have passed since Gungate, and the team is now under almost entirely new management. Owner Ted Leonsis bought the Wizards after the Arenas incident, while GM Tommy Sheppard and head coach Wes Unseld Jr. only assumed their posts within the last three years.
Arenas, now 40, has also since earned the support of some current Wizards. Now the team is set to give their mercurial ex-star an official welcome-back.
