Washington Wizards: Ranking the Top 5 Point Guards In Recent Franchise History
By Ben Mehic
1) Gilbert Arenas
Who’s the best all-around point guard in the last few decades of Washington professional basketball? Probably John Wall. But nobody in the history of this franchise has truly captured the imagination like Gilbert Arenas.
A three-time All-NBA selection (something Wall has never managed), Arenas was the single most magnificent scorer this franchise has ever seen. But more than that, Gilbert was absolutely incredible when he was on.
He could do things that we haven’t seen before or since from a Wizard – a sort of hyper-charged James Harden with range out to near halfcourt.
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And over the last decade-plus, almost all of the most memorable Wizards moments revolved around Gilbert Arenas.
There was the playoff buzzer-beater against the Bulls; the unforgettable West Coast road trip where he scored 60 in LA, then 54 in Phoenix a few nights later; the MLK Day buzzer beater against Utah; and yes, even the gun scandal.
Through it all, Gilbert Arenas did one thing that no one since Wes Unseld has been able to do: he made you believe that he could make the Wizards great.
He was the single best pure offensive player any of us have ever seen in a Wizards uniform, and he was the man who made me a Wizards fan.
I remember one game in particular, back in 2005 or maybe 2006.
I was at the then-MCI Center with my dad and Gilbert caught fire. He started taking shots from further and further out, and hitting every one.
The next time he came down the court, the arena was brimming with anticipation. Gilbert dribbled up, stopped right on the halfcourt line, and took a jumpshot that looked like a totally normal pull-up three, except for the fact that it was from 45 feet away.
Of course, he made it.
The crowd absolutely lost it – until the referee blew his whistle and waved the basket off for backcourt violation. On the shooter.
For years now, I’ve scoured the internet for any video or trace of that moment, but I haven’t found any. But I know it happened. I saw it. Gilbert Arenas was that kind of player – he made you tell tall tales.
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John Wall is a great player, but he can never be Gilbert Arenas. John Wall is merely an All-Star. Gilbert Arenas was magic.