For every Washington Wizards fan, this year's NBA Draft (held on June 24, 2010) will be an exciting one. For the first time in nearly ten years, the Wizards hold the number one overall selection in the draft. In the 2001 NBA Draft, the Wizards selected the high school star, Kwame Brown, over players such as Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Tony Parker, and Zach Randolph.
Of course, Kwame Brown failed to develop into an NBA star.
Pau Gasol wound up the 2001-2002 NBA Rookie of the Year. He's won an NBA Championship as a Los Angeles Laker and is a three-time NBA All-Star.
Joe Johnson is an NBA All-Star, arguably a top five player at his position, and is set to become a top tier free agent this summer.
Gerald Wallace is coming off one his best seasons as a pro; the season in which Wallace received his first NBA All-Star selection.
Tony Parker has won three NBA Championships. In 2007, he became the first European player to be named the NBA Finals MVP.
Zach Randolph has yet to be a winner in the NBA, but he is a productive NBA player. He averages 17 points and nearly 9 rebounds per game, throughout his career. Last year, Randolph averaged nearly 21 points and 12 rebounds, as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.
It was this 2001 NBA Draft that saw the Golden State Warriors use their 31st overall selection on Arizona guard, Gilbert Arenas. Arenas played his first two NBA seasons with the Warriors, before signing with the Washington Wizards in 2003.
In the 2006-2007 season, Gilbert Arenas suffered a knee injury after colliding with the Charlotte Bobcats' Gerald Wallace. This knee injury limited him to playing in only 15 games in 2 seasons (164 total games).
Upon his return in 2009-2010, Arenas faced an even bigger challenge.
Not only did the Wizards hire Flip Saunders as their head coach, but they traded away their number five overall pick in the NBA Draft, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard, Randy Foye, and forward, Mike Miller. The Washington Wizards were in 'win-now' mode and felt that a core of Arenas, Caron Butler, Mike Miller, Antawn Jamison, and Brendan Haywood would compete for an NBA Championship.
No one expected for Gilbert Arenas to be found guilty of gun charges.
No one expected for Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to now be Dallas Mavericks.
No one expected for Antawn Jamison to be playing alongside LeBron James, in Cleveland, as a Cavalier.
Then again, no one expected the Wizards to win the NBA Draft Lottery.
After all, they had a 5 percent chance, and mediocrity is what this team has been used to for the past decade.
Times have changed.
The Wizards have hope.
The Wizards have the number one overall selection.
The Wizards have the chance to draft the 19 year old, Raleigh, NC native, and Kentucky freshman sensation, John Wall.
Some compare John Wall to current Chicago Bull, Derrick Rose.
Others compare him to Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo.
Either way, he's the clear-cut number one overall pick in this year's draft class.
John Wall's elite speed, playmaking ability, and leadership will allow him to turnaround any organizatoin. For the sake of Wizards fans, the organization needs to be Washington.
There are questions as to whether or not he can co-exist with Gilbert Arenas.
Both guards play the same position.
However, Arenas has never been considered a traditional, pass-first point guard.
On the other hand, Arenas has never played alongside an elite guard.
Arenas has never played alongside a bonafide outside shooter.
Jarvis Hayes does NOT count.
Larry Hughes does NOT count.
Antawn Jamison? NOPE!
I've followed Gilbert Arenas for quite some time.
I was a major fan of his now, defunct blog.
Whether he discussed his love for basketball, explained the meaning of his tattoos, or candidly spoke on why Ben Gordon and Andre Iguodala were not in the position to turn down long-term deals, Arenas has always lacked tact, but never honesty.
To me, Gilbert Arenas is that kid in school that could have been cool had he allowed others to realize he was cool. Instead, the kid walks around trying to convince everyone that they should like him. This annoying habit is counterproductive. In turn, NO ONE likes him.
Gilbert Arenas is the media's favorite player to hate.
"He can't return from two knee surgeries."
"He is overpaid!"
"He should be in jail!"
Whatever angle doubters, and denouncers of Arenas, decide to take, I do not defend Gil.
Why not?
Gilbert Arenas is more than capable of defending himself.
After all, I had nothing to do with him becoming a premier player (and elite scorer) in the NBA. This all comes after being a 2nd round pick and being told that he'd receive 0 (hence his number) minutes on the court, while attending Arizona.
He is changing his number to 6.
January 6 is his birthday, but more importantly it is the date in which the organization pulled his merchandise from the Verizon Center and stopped selling his jersey on their website.
Arenas will have a chip on his shoulder, but this time, it will be a much different one.
If his goofy antics and weird actions were a cry for attention, his new demeanor ought to be a cry for redemption.
I fully expect Arenas to transition to shooting guard and embrace the fact that John Wall will be the new face of the Washington Wizards. Arenas will finally have the opportunity have a backcourt mate that will allow him to work more efficiently. The hope is that the media will be too busy covering John Wall's quest for Rookie of the Year, while Washingtonians will be doing the John Wall dance, and Arenas will quietly reclaim his position is an elite scorer in the NBA.
Only time will tell.
clown
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