Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas (http://www.terra.com)

You may know him as the guy that is a spokesperson for Addidas or the guy who is on the cover of NBA Live 2008 but I know him for his incredible basketball skills and his inspiring personality. Gilbert Arenas is one of the best basketball players in his era, he averages thirty points, five rebounds and five assists. Gilbert Arenas is a six feet and four inch point guard, who plays for the Washington Wizards. This three time all-star has been my hero ever since he entered the NBA in 2001.

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Gilbert Arenas is my hero because he is an awesome athlete but he didn’t start out a star. In the beginning of his career in the NBA he was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the second round but he didn’t start out a star, he started out sitting on the bench. I think the amount of time he spent on the sideline made him stronger which caused him to be such a great player. After his first year he became the starting guard for the Warriors and he became their unanimous leader. Then a few years later he moved to the Washington Wizards. That’s when he had his breakout season. He averaged 25 points a game and he has excelled ever since. Gilbert has gone a long way, now he is one of the top ten scorers in the NBA with an average of 29 points.

Another reason he is my hero is because, beyond being a great athlete, he is a very inspiring person. He is different than a lot of other star basketball players. Gilbert is out in the world changing the lives of many future athletes. When he was in college at the University of Arizona, every sports reporter predicted him to play zero minutes a game and those predictions pushed him to get better. As a result of his hard work he became arguably the best point guard in the league. Gilbert doesn’t just inspire people, he also gives to his community by giving to charity. During the 2006-2007 season he pledged one hundred dollars for each point he scored in all home games to a charity. He gives to charity, he inspires many people, and he also extends his family to an orphan. Gilbert Arenas took an orphan from D.C who lost his family in a fire at age ten and now treats him like a brother. He spends a lot of time with the boy, buying him clothes and watching movies. He also got him a job as a Wizards ball boy. I think Gilbert is a very kind and caring person. He puts a lot of thought and effort into changing people’s lives.

His actions reflect on the young kids like me that want to follow his example. So it’s important for Arenas to set examples that kids want to follow. His example has made a difference in my life, he is the reason I started playing basketball. His passion for the game showed me how much fun basketball can be. His inspiring story as a college athlete has been the story that I base my life on. I think Gilbert displayed a large amount of perseverance during his college career as an Arizona Wildcat. Every time I try something new and I doubt my skills I think of Arenas. It really helps that his story is like a reminder, without his act of perseverance I wouldn’t have fallen in love with basketball.

People have different definitions of a heroic person it may be someone that cares for others, someone who is the best at what he does, or someone who is close to your heart. But Gilbert Arenas has all these characteristics; he is the full definition of hero. Gilbert has inspired future athletes with his life story and his caring personality; this is why he is my hero.