Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, Fanhuddle.com as a NY Knicks and Wizards correspondent, and his own blog, Hoops Haven.
It’s been a minute since some good news on Gilbert Arenas has been heard around the NBA. I, as well as the rest of the basketball world, have been pulling for Gil since three knee surgeries have tried to derail the three time All-Star’s rising career in Washington, DC. Most recent reports on his comeback have been encouraging.
Arenas surprised fans and players this week, when he made an appearance at Barry Farms in Southeast D.C. to play in the Goodman Summer League which is known as the premier proving grounds for D.C. hoops. I was lucky enough to have been in attendance since I was in DC visiting family, and can never pass up some good Summer hoops. The league which started in the early 70’s has lured many NBA players to Washington because of it’s high level of play, including most recently, Kevin Durant.
Gil, who looked thinner than I remember him, impressed by scoring 35 points and dishing out 7 assists, mostly by taking the ball to the rack. Although mostly known for his long range shooting, Arenas took only two outside jumpers in an apparent attempt to test his surgically repaired knee on the blacktop. Fans were shocked to see him get to the rim with such ease as he had numerous dunks, highlighted by a rim rattling tomahawk slam that brought the crowd into a frenzy. Even more encouraging is that he did not wear a kneebrace or favor the knee in any way. After the game, Arenas in typical fashion, signed autographs and took off his jersey and shoes and gave them out to admiring fans, just like he customarily does after each game at the Verizon Center at Wizards games.
In more encouraging news, Arenas has also been tearing it up in the Windy City, at the Chicago Pro Am while working with famed NBA trainer, Tim Glover, who has worked most recently with Tracy McGrady, Kobe, and Dwayne Wade. Rumor has it that Gil has dropped 50+ in more than a few games and is averaging more than 44 points per game. Other NBA players have given their opinion on Arenas’s rehab efforts recently like Andre Iguodala, Quinton Richardson, and even Coach Flip Saunders stating how good he has looked while in Chicago, all having stated he looks at about 90% of his former self, which is better than most even at the NBA level.
In his last three seasons before the injuries, “Agent 0” as he is sometimes called, established himself as one of the top players in all of the league by averaging between 25-30 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals. He also garnered 3 All-NBA 2nd and 3rd Team selections while topping 40+ points 26 times including scoring 60 in a game vs the Lakers in ’06.
Gilbert Arenas needs the NBA but the NBA also needs Arenas, who is one of the leagues truly “good guys” by his numerous charitable contributions off the court, to help rehab it’s own image.
If he continues along this path, I would throw Gil’s name into the conversation for Comeback Player of the Year along with Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, and Amare Stoudemire.
Alright……I know it is only Summer leagues and it is not necessarily top competition but it appears that the “Hibachi” is heating up and is getting ready to fry the NBA competition.
Here is some footage of Arenas at Barry Farms on Friday:
