For years, fans have speculated about the infamous 2009 Gilbert Arenas/Javaris Crittendon gun incident in the Washington Wizards' locker room. Now, for the first time, Arenas has provided an in-depth account of what really occurred.
It all started on a team flight, as the Action Network's Jon Gold documents in a revealing new piece. Arenas joined a game of booray (AKA Bourré in Lousiana, where it originated) and doubled the pot. Crittendon "was on a bad losing streak," according to the piece.
"I mean, this man was bleeding," Arenas told the Action Network. "I'm already hyped because there's $1,100 in the pot. I smell the blood...I came in on my deal, and already he's fucking livid. He's all heat. 'This is bullshit! How you gonna get in the game now?!' He's upset because he started thinking about the odds, and he's the last person to get the cards."
Additionally, Arenas was set to earn $16.2 million that season, whereas Crittendon's salary was $1.48 million. It seemed like the rich trying to take from the poor. It didn't help that Gil, one of the league's most famous trash-talkers, was in rare form.
"And Javaris is 1,000 degrees hot," Arenas added. "But everyone knows my style. I'm gonna keep poking. I want you fucked up."
They played the hand out, and JaVale McGee won. It seemed to Crittendon that Gil had set him up.
"The plane lands and now Javaris says to JaVale, 'So you just gonna let me lose my money like that? You ain't even gonna be a real n—- and give me a chance to get my money back? Aw hell naw, this is the type of shit that gets you fucked up in these streets,'" Gil recalled. "I was like, 'Javaris, I will burn your car, while you're in it. Then we'll find an extinguisher to help ya ass out,' and he says, 'Well, I'll just shoot you then.' I said, 'Man, I'll bring you the guns to shoot me!'"
And he did. Two days later, Arenas brought four unloaded guns into the team's locker room. He said it was "about me calling his bluff." But Crittendon had his own gun, already loaded. A showdown ensued.
Both players were suspended for the remainder of the season, and Crittendon never played in the league again. He's currently serving time after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter after accidentally killing 22-year-old Julian Jones in a drive-by.
