In a scathing takedown of media pundits, Gilbert Arenas unleashed a verbal barrage against those who critique players without firsthand experience on the court.
With the Dallas Mavericks trailing 0-2 in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, speculation about the Finals MVP is already rampant.
Despite Jayson Tatum’s struggles, shooting a mere 31.8% from the field, the spotlight has shifted to Jaylen Brown, whose solid performances have garnered attention.
During a recent segment of Gil’s Arena, Gilbert Arenas contended that Brown’s scoring opportunities could dwindle if Tatum finds his rhythm. However, his criticism didn’t stop there.
Arenas lambasted the media for their role in selecting Finals MVPs and subsequently denigrating players who don’t receive such accolades despite contributing to championship wins.
“Stephen Curry won the first championship, he didn’t win the Final MVP. Nobody uses that against him. No one gives a f***,” Arenas first said.
When challenged by former player Kenyon Martin, who suggested otherwise, Arenas exploded.
“Who tried to? The media! The negative motherf**ers who never played the game. Someone who has no idea about what it takes to win is sitting there critiquing everybody.”
Reflecting on contentious MVP decisions, such as Andre Iguodala’s selection over LeBron James in 2015, Arenas passionately argued that the award should reflect the best player in the Finals, irrespective of the winning team.
“It’s LeBron’s trophy, to be honest. It was LeBron’s real trophy. That sh*t says Finals MVP, it doesn’t say whoever the best was on the winner team. It says who was the best player in the Finals! ‘Who played the best here? Him!'”