Retired player suggests racist idea to 'fix' the NBA



Retired NBA player Gilbert Arenas has a solution to fix the NBA’s lack of defense — and it involves racism.

“I know what they can do. Get rid of all the Europeans,” Arenas said on his podcast, "Gils Arena."

“They have no athleticism, right? They have no speed, no jumping ability, they are a liability on defense.”

“They didn’t soften the rules for the Americans, they softened the rules to open it up international,” Arenas continued, adding, “This is not our league, this is not the American South, this is the Euro style.”

Steve Kim believes Arenas has unwittingly gone “MAGA.”

He notes that it’s basically the same thing as “the replacement theory” since “he’s blaming the immigrants.”

Whitlock agrees, seeing Arenas’ take as fairly racist and full of misinformation, but he does admit there are “tiny kernels of truth there.”

“Tiny kernels of truth in terms of the NBA wanted to extend its international reach. That was their whole big plan for ‘we’re going to overtake the NFL, we’re going to be the international game, they’re going to love us in China, they’re going to love us here,’” Whitlock explains, adding that the NBA is suffering “the consequences of globalism.”

“Now, the chickens are coming home to roost, and it’s not an American game,” he adds.

To hear more, watch the clip below.


Want more from Jason Whitlock?

To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

'This is not the American style': Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas says 'get rid of all the Europeans' to make the NBA better

'This is not the American style': Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas says 'get rid of all the Europeans' to make the NBA better



Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas suggested that ridding the basketball league of most European players would improve the style of play, which he said has become less defensive due to catering to players from that region.

"I know what they can do [to stop the offense]. Get rid of all the Europeans," Arenas said on his own podcast, "Gil's Arena."

Speaking to current professional player Norris Cole and former players Rashad McCants and Kenyon Martin, Arenas said that he felt there was a lack of defensive fundamentals with European players, who typically play in European leagues before entering the NBA, as opposed to a U.S. college.

"You go to college to learn defense. What college do Europeans go to? They have no athleticism. They have no speed, no jumping ability. They are a liability on defense," Arenas continued.

NBA Draft eligibility rules have become incredibly complicated in recent years, as opposed to earlier times when a player could be drafted as soon as they turned 18, or out of high school. Rules were eventually changed to require a player to spend at least one year in college, but amendments were made to allow for playing in other leagues or in the NBA's development system instead.

"There are 150 Euros in the league today … name the top defenders. None! Just Rudy Gobert and [Giannis Antetokounmpo]. Other than that, they are offensive players, not defensive players," Arenas declared.

Arenas and his cohosts compared offensive numbers in the modern NBA to historical numbers, showcasing that offensive statistics have risen to record levels.

"So, the NBA took away aggression to open the Euro-league. When they first started it was too rough for them ... so eventually they softened the rules, they didn't soften the rules for the Americans, they softened the rules to open it up international."

"This is not our league, this is not the American style. This is the Euro style," Arenas added.

GILBERT ARENAS SAYS : \nTHE EUROPEANS RUINED DEFENCE IN THE NBA . \ud83e\udd23\ud83d\ude02Thoughts \ud83d\udcad ?
— (@)

Other outlets such as EuroHoops suggested that playing in other leagues was an equivalent to playing at an American college, while Deadspin called Arenas' remarks "xenophobic."

Since leaving the NBA in 2012, Arenas has been outspoken about a plethora of issues.

In 2023, the All-NBA player criticized "the LGBT" for attempts to police language and make others adhere to terms that they have made up.

"The LGBT, right, I think it's the most unfair group walking the planet right now," Arenas described. "They have a playbook that only they are playing by, that they can only see, no one else gets to see this playbook, but we’re being judged by everything that’s in this playbook, but we don’t know it,” he opined.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!