Known for his clutch shooting and unafraid style of play, Gilbert Arenas was one of the NBA’s most explosive scorers in his prime. However, his upbringing was far but ordinary prior to his notoriety. He and his father were homeless at one point and lived in a car. He had a chip on his shoulder from that difficult start, which fueled the underdog mindset that characterized his career.
In the recently released Untold Netflix documentary, Shooting Guards, Gil discussed this early period of his life. Gil talked candidly about his experiences as a young man, even though the episode’s focus was on his notorious 2009 encounter with Javaris Crittenton.
The three-time All-Star said that his father, Gil Sr., wanted to work in the movie business, so they traveled from Florida to California. The former NBA player: “We moved from Tampa to Los Angeles because he had dreams of being a Hollywood star. He really wanted to be famous,”
When Gil Sr. relocated to La La Land, he was able to secure a job as a bodyguard. He has a long list of clients.
Arenas revealed, without hesitation, dropping the name: “He worked as a bodyguard for Mike Tyson, Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Dam,”
“I got to see a lot of movie stars growing up.”
“My dad didn’t drop me or lose me. He always fought for me. He did everything for me. Every day. So I’m gonna fight for my kids. That’s what he taught me,”
Since becoming a father himself, Gil has expressed a lot of gratitude for his relationship with his father.
