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Read Full BioGilbert Arenas has denied any involvement in the recent scandal engulfing the NBA. Arenas was also arrested earlier this year, but says his case is unrelated to the arrests of Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones.
Arenas had joked that he may have given information to law enforcement. He appeared on his podcast, Gil’s Arena, with a bag labeled “informant lunch” last week, following the arrests.
But he has since confirmed that this was no more than a joke. He stated, “I don’t know what this gotta do with my case. I don’t think you just walk around telling them cases you don’t know. My case is different. I don’t know what my case has to do with n—-s that’s gambling and giving information on NBA games. How does that have to do with me?”
While one aspect of the scandal involves providing information to bettors about lineups and the injury status of players, another indictment relates to illegal poker games.
Chauncey Billups has been accused of playing in rigged games and being paid a portion of the winnings that the organizers, including members of Mafia families, scammed from victims.
Arenas denied any similarity to his case, however, adding, “Common sense is common sense. This is a whole different breed of – this s— has its own name. Mine didn’t have no operation name.”
Arenas Gambled With Damon Jones
Although his case may not be connected, Arenas has admitted to previously gambling with one of those arrested, Damon Jones. An old interview resurfaced since the arrests, where Arenas said he gambled with Jones, among others, during the 2006 series between his then-team, the Washington Wizards, and James’ team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“We’re gambling during the series. Not LeBron, but me, Damon Jones, Larry Hughes, we’re at LeBron’s place, we’re gambling,” said Arenas. “We’re there three, four, five days during the series.”
Lebron James has also been named in the scandal, as it emerged that Jones informed bettors he was going to sit out a game when playing for the Lakers. This led to gamblers placing large winning wagers on the Milwaukee Bucks to win the game.
Gambling appears to have been a prominent activity in NBA locker rooms for some time. Arenas is said to have pulled an unloaded gun on teammate Javaris Crittenton in the Washington Wizards locker room following a dispute over a card game.
He was convicted on one felony count of carrying an unlicensed pistol in 2009. He was sentenced to two years of probation, 30 days in a halfway house, 400 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine.
Arenas Says He’ll Snitch After His Release
Arenas was again arrested at the end of July over allegations he hosted illegal poker games at his LA mansion. The games have also been linked to organized crime, with Yevgeni Gershman accused of being the mastermind behind the operation.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) identified Gershman as a “suspected organized crime figure from Israel.” There have been no accusations that the games were rigged, however. The DOJ instead says Gershman “hired young women who, in exchange for tips, served drinks, provided massages, and offered companionship to the poker players.”
Arenas pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, as well as making false statements to federal investigators. Following his release on bail, he said that he has no intention of serving jail time and will snitch to preserve his freedom.
Talking on a livestream shortly after his release, he said, “Good luck in court. I’m pretty sure I ain’t gonna be there, cause, yeah, man, I’m snitching.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with snitching, man. It ain’t nothing wrong with just telling, man.”
However, in response to being called a snitch since the arrests of Rozier, Billups, and Jones, he took to X to deny he would ever “tell on somebody.”
In the video, he says, “There’s one thing that I do: troll. Tell on somebody? I don’t do that.”
ESPN host Stephen A. Smith previously warned Arenas to stop joking around and take the charges in his case seriously. Smith stated, “I need you not to play around. My brother, I don’t want to see you in jail. At all. It’s not a good look. It’s nothing to laugh about, it’s nothing to joke around and think it’s funny when the feds come raiding your home. I don’t want to see that. I don’t want to hear about anything like that.”
Smith has also been outspoken on the recent NBA betting scandal, accusing Donald Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel of leading the politically charged arrests.
