Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas is known for being outspoken, yet he may have gone too far in some derogatory jokes he made about South Sudan after they nearly defeated Team USA in an Olympic exhibition game.
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Despite being the 43.5 underdogs, South Sudan was up 100-99, before LeBron James made a game-winning layup with 10 seconds left to secure the game for the four-time defending gold medalists.
Gilbert Arenas comments about South Sudan😳 pic.twitter.com/6ZfIeTfdYR
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) July 22, 2024
"We've got the [Team USA] males almost lost to some Africans... We almost lost to the Ahi-Ahi tribe... And 'The King' had to save us," Arenas was heard saying in a video, referring to his former rival LeBron coming up clutch.
However, the former Washington Wizards guard didn't stop there, as he went on to call out Team USA player Joel Embiid, who is of African descent.
"This is crazy, Embiid over there throwing the game. He throwing the game for his cousins and s***."
“[Joel Embiid] throwing the game for his cousins [South Sudan] and sh*t… They don’t even have shoes. They get their shoes from America. We gotta ship them shoes... They shooting on f*cking peach baskets in dirt with no shoes.”
— Gilbert Arenas 😳pic.twitter.com/hxJ8X9ybn2
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 22, 2024
Arenas, the 3x NBA All-Star, went on to make fun of the living conditions of Team USA's opponents, saying they practice "shooting on peach baskets" with "no shoes."
Joel Embiid, who grew up in Cameroon and not South Sudan was asked about Arenas' comments.
I asked @usabasketball’s Cameroon-born 🇨🇲 star Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) about Gilbert Arena’s (@GilsArenaShow) recent disgusting and racist comments about Africans and African basketball players… @FECABASKET @FIBA @SSBFed pic.twitter.com/aBRZfXnxTi
— Δ¥Ω™ (@iam_Ayo) July 22, 2024
"Obviously, I don't condone it. I'm African... I might be playing for Team USA but I'm Cameroonian first and foremost. If it was that negative it's just that disappointing," Embiid said. "Because you see what African basketball has done for us to be in this position to be able to make some sort of impact, even the position that I am [in]... It's really unfortunate, especially in the world we live in right now so much negativity."
Gilbert Arenas responds to Joel Embiid’s comments condemning Gil for his remarks about South Sudan:
“Wait a minute… he was throwing the game for his ppl (I have my eye on u)”
[via. IG// @afroballers @GilsArenaShow] pic.twitter.com/sqUWj2vBCd
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) July 23, 2024
South Sudan will get a rematch vs. Team USA during the Paris Olympics, as they will face-off in a group stage matchup on July 31 at 3:00 pm ET.
Related: Gilbert Arenas' Locker Room Gun Incident Remains One Of NBA's Longest Suspensions
