Another day, another anti-white bigoted comment made by a celebrity that goes unchecked. This time, it was from former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, who thinks the Europeans are the source of the problems in the NBA and stated it should purge the league of all white European basketball players.
During an episode of his podcast, Gil’s Arena, the former NBA All-Star spoke with other retired players about ways to improve the game and “bring a competitive balance to both sides of the ball,” Mediaite reported.
“I know what they can do,” Arenas said. “Get rid of all the Europeans.”
As one would expect, the podcast guests laughed at the suggestion. However, Arenas reiterated his comment and provided an explanation that was rife with negative anti-white stereotypes regarding athleticism that have dominated popular culture for decades.
“You go to college to learn defense. What college do Europeans go to? They don’t go to college whatsoever,” Arenas said. “They have no athleticism. … They have no speed, no jumping ability. They are a liability on defense. There’s 150 Euros in the league today. Name the top 10 defenders. None! Just Rudy Gobert and [Giannis Antetokounmpo]. Other than that, they’re just offensive players. They’re not defensive players.”
No athleticism? It should be noted that one of those Europeans, Nikola Jokic, was named the NBA’s MVP in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He also guided his team to the NBA championship last year. Gilbert Arenas never won an MVP or a championship.
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His prejudice aside, Arenas was a great player in his day. Nevertheless, his comments are way off base. Furthermore, they invoke racially bigoted stereotypes about the athleticism of white people. They are the kind of comments that, if said about non-white players, especially if said by a white person, would cause outrage, be considered offensive, and be deemed racist. There would most likely be an article in the Atlantic by Jemele Hill citing it as an example of white supremacy.
However, Arenas’s anti-white comments do not get the same treatment or cause the same uproar. Our society has been conditioned to accept anti-white bias and bigotry as no big deal. It’s a cultural phenomenon that must immediately change. Prejudice, bias, and bigotry are always wrong, even when white people are the victims. It should be called out and condemned just the same.