Gilbert Jay Arenas Jr.

Gilbert Arenas drives through defenders.

Gilbert Arenas is a great inspiration to me. He had a commercial that taught me to never give up. With Gilbert's and my mom and dad's inspiration I continued to play basketball. This is his story. Gilbert Jay Arenas Jr. was born on January 6, 1982. His Family was originally from Cuba. He has a wife and 2 children. By the age of eleven Gilbert was more interested in football than basketball. After graduating from the University of Arizona, Gilbert Arenas entered the NBA Draft in 2001. He was not a likely prospect to be chosen early in the draft. He got chosen by the Golden State Warriors in the second round 1st pick (31st overall). Later in his NBA career he got traded to the Washington Wizards where he still successfully plays today. Gilbert Arenas has accomplished many things in his life. In high school he was named to the Los Angeles All-City team 3 times. He was named Valley Pac-8 Player of the Year as a sophomore. He set an NBA record of 46 points in 30 minutes in the 2005-2006 season. Gilbert Jay Arenas made his first starting appearance in an All-Star game in 2007, edging out Vince Carter by a slight margin. He set a personal record of 60 points in a game in a close overtime win against the Los Angeles Lakers (147-141).

Gilbert Arenas is very generous to the people around him. In 2004 every home game that he played, he contributed $300 every time he scored one point. He contributed the money to local D.C. schools. He participated in NBA Cares which is where players go to nearby schools and read and do learning activities with children. Gilbert Arenas started a foundation called the Zero Two Hero Foundation. Carmelo Anthony joined him in the foundation. They teamed up with Hoops for the Homeless and raised $900,000 in a 3 on 3 basketball tournament. Gilbert Arenas has gone through many hardships in his life. His mom left his father and him when he was young. His mother left him because she was a drug addict. He did not see her for twenty whole years. He was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida for supposedly interfering with the police as they were arresting his fellow teammate for blocking traffic. For the first 40 games of his career he sat on the end of the bench. His coaches believed he was nothing. He played 0 minutes. All he did was practice, practice, practice.

He said “If you are believed to be capable of nothing, anything you do is a positive. It’s not about basketball anymore; it’s about proving my coaches wrong.” He didn’t even play when they were up by 40 points. Gilbert Arenas wears number 0 because nothing is impossible and we have to go out and fight every day. Gilbert Arenas has played a big role in my life. Gilbert Arenas is important to me because he taught me to never give up and keep trying in whatever I believe in. He inspires me to do new things and know it is not impossible and if I try I can be really good at what I like.

My definition of a hero is H. heroic. E. essential. R. rational. O. optimistic. And that is exactly what Gilbert Arenas is to me: my hero, a person who inspires me and gives me hope. I want to be just like Gilbert Arenas, an inspiration to younger kids that nothing is impossible and that we have to go out and fight everyday for the things we need and want.