DeShawn Stevenson: “This Whole Team Revolves Around Gilbert Arenas”
When Austin wrote a couple weeks ago that the Wizards would be crashing the 2010 postseason party as a seventh or eighth seed, a lot of people disagreed. Not because they thought the Wizards would be back in the lottery, but rather that people were thinking they could legitimately get homecourt advantage in the first round. Despite having Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Randy Foye, Nick Young, Mike Miller, Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee, DeShawn Stevenson knows that it all comes down to Gilbert Arenas.
“This whole team revolves around Gilbert Arenas. Everybody knows it. Nobody wants to say it, but I’m going to say it,” Stevenson said. “I’ve been on this team four years — it depends on Gilbert Arenas. We can make as many trades as we want to. When he’s healthy and he’s playing, we’re a dangerous team. When we don’t have him, it makes it harder to move the ball; it’s hard to get things easy. That’s my point of view. If Gilbert is 70 percent, we’re going win a lot of games. If Gilbert is 80 percent, we’re going be No. 1 in the East. If he’s 100 percent, we might win a championship.”
He continued: “If he’s 70 percent, we’re still going to be good. But we need him on the court. It’s all on Gilbert. I don’t want to put pressure on him, because that’s my boy. I look at him as a best friend, brother. But it’s not pressure to him, because I know what he can do. If he’s healthy, it doesn’t matter what team we have.”
While I mostly agree with what Stevenson is saying, if Agent Zero is only 80 percent you have to think that it’s crazy to say that the Wizards would be No. 1 in the East. With the Celtics, Magic and Cavs all improving, for the Wizards to make some noise this season, they need their star back at 100 percent.
What do you think?
Source: Washington Post
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August 3rd, 2009 at 10:25 am
Luigi says:
idunno about 80% Deshawn. but 100% can get us at the higher portion of the east…maybe we can be discussed as a potential championship threat next year if all goes perfectly well. what we really need is to get rid of some guards because we dont really need 6-7 guards who operate with the ball in their hands.
we need a big man who can intimidate people on D. kuz Jamison is only a scorer n a rebounder. n plus. when were (potentially) facing KG. Shaq. Dwight….does a combo of Javale McGee. Haywood. Blatche. Jamison. n Fabricio Oberto scare you?. nah i didnt think so.
Maybe we can shock the world…maybe we’ll go in obscurity…but itl all depend on the Knee Gerald Wallace Destroyed.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
sure says:
He’s simply stating what all real basketball players know already except for the masses that are brainwashed by media and the analysts. On any given night Gilbert is as dangerous maybe more than Kobe,Wade,Lebron,Melo in that order. He’s proven it already and I only hope he regains his form. He proved he’s one of the elite players in the league and belong on the Olympic team as well. Again I repeat the year he had will be close to impossible to duplicate. He went toe 2 toe with arguably one of the best 2 do it. So you guys say. He has a ways 2 go to prove it. What he might be is not good enough to me. Again could you imagine Gilbert being given the keys out the gate like Lebron. Imagine bringing A.I. off the bench in the beginning of his career. A big difference when you’re a golden boy. Gilbert Arenas and Baron Davis when healthy are H.O.F talent guards. Injuries and team success alike would’ve have kept them out. Timing and Oppurtunity.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:29 am
Luigi says:
The knee Gerald Wallace Destroyed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZZwCMggYgc
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 am
DaGood says:
CCeltics didn’t improve – they’re a year older. But agree in general, Wizards are fourth in the East at best.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:44 am
karizmatic says:
Even if Gilbert Arenas is 100% The Wizards can’t win the East. Unless Gilbert finally learns how to pass the ball and run an offense, and Antawn Jamison has the best season of his life. The other thing that needs to happen is Deshawn Stevenson needs to be positioned as far from the basketball court as possible and even farther from any microphone which can allow him to project his foolish thoughts.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
jzsmoove says:
Crashing the post season sounds about right as a 7th or 8th seed. There is no way they are getting homecourt if they do get in the playoffs. They have a pretty good base but will need time to gel. Maybe 2 or 3 years together and they will be a top 3 in the East.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:04 am
BERN BROGDEN aka BINO BROWN STR8 UP N DOWN says:
“If he’s 70 percent, we’re still going to be good…”
Am I missing something???? Good? GOOD AINT GONNA CUT IT.
BOSTON RELOADED.
ORLANDO RELOADED.
CAVALIERS RELOADED.
It doesn’t even matter what the other 5 potential playoff teams plan on doing…just don’t matter.
Agent Zero is the new TMac.
Building your team around fragile talents aint gettin’ you a chip.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:23 am
Big V says:
I’d love to see another Wizards-Cavs series with a healthy Arenas.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:26 am
wiz says:
This came from the perfect person, since there are so many deshawn stevenson haters out there. They will be top 4 in the east. Gilbert when healthy is a top 5 player in the league behind kobe,bron,wade,and melo anyone out this group can look like the best player in the league on any given night. I hope gilbert returns to his all around self on and off court!
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:33 am
karizmatic says:
Everybody up here is forgetting one thing, Gilbert might be as dangerous a scorer as Kobe, Lebron, etc…but there is only on problem HE PLAYS POINT GUARD. You don’t win when your point guard is taking all the shots and not running the offense.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:37 am
iannyb says:
Hell tyo the no,hibachi good and all that,but he aint no Kobe lebron or MJ.And besides those guys still needed a team effort.i’ll go with my dude caron on this.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:43 am
whatarewedoing says:
I can guarantee ya’ll that Gilbert is one of the top 5 players in the league. I live in Chicago, and he showed up along with OJ mayo and will bynum for the Antoine Walker camp at South Surburban College. I happened to be there also. Let me tell you that Gilbert Arenas is the REAL deal, don’t get it twisted. And he is so much faster than you might think. And that talk about him not being a pure point is not true, as i personally watch him dish assist after assists(14) while getting 38 points.Gilbert will be back to being a monster this year.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:45 am
Steve A says:
I love stevenson. He’s a complete knucklehead which makes him entertaining.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Joe says:
With Gilbo 100%, the Wizards will be a 5th seed at best. DeShawn’s never been on a championship-contending team, so I don’t know if he realizes how much it takes to get to the Finals.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
rodnets says:
my stomach revolves around gilbert arenas news
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
DMC says:
Damn if only everyone was as optimistic about T-Mac, funny how all the parallels are there and people jump ship to the next sinking boat in a seconds notice.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
geoff says:
not happening. wizards are not good. gilbert is not good.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
Ha Gilbert top 5? PLEASE PUT THE PIPE DOWN FAST!!!
Beter than ?:
KG
Duncan
Shaq
B-Roy
Durant
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
SWAT says:
lol!! i will say tht he’s wrong for tht hightop fade…tht pic is always hilarious!
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
"Tha Boddy" Smooth Criminal says:
Gilbert Arenas is better than B-Roy and Durant because he puts up points all over the board.If Durant has someone throws body at either of them they are forced to give up the ball but with Arenas he’ll back your ass down then shoot over your head.He takes it to the rack and will make you look stupid down thee, hell he will be 5 feet away from the 3pt line and sink one in your face…GILBERT ARENAS aka Returning To Score Your Face Off!!!!
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:41 pm
robmo35 says:
If Gilbert is 100% this is an entirely different team, but without a legitimate 4 that can provide needed interior defense, I love Antawn but he is too undersized to be effective inside, they are not championship contenders. My suspicion is that Washington is going to see where they are at mid season, and if their record is in the upper echelon if the east and everyone is relatively healthy, then they find a trade partner who is having a fire sale, and would be willing to take the mid-level exception, a draft pick and maybe Mike James’ expiring contract for a legit 4. Steve Kerr are you out there? You know your team isn’t going to be in it, send Amare to DC
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Dukesman2000 says:
They need Gilbert to be at 100% and mature
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Ian says:
deshawn is right and that is the reason the wizards suck. arenas is a ballhog and the dude that called him top 5 LOL ok sure. the best post ive read today “on any given night arenas is as good as ….” on any given night any scrub can have a great game and win it.
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:06 pm
wiz says:
If you really know basketball there is no way you can say gilbert arenas is a scrub……..
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:06 pm
wiz says:
If you really know basketball there is no way you can say gilbert arenas is a scrub……..
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
utahJZZ says:
1. Boston Celtics
2. Orlando Magic
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
4. Toronto Raptors
5. Miami Heat
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Washington Wizards
8. Philadelphia 76ers
9. Detroit Pistons
August 3rd, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Dagomar says:
Here’s the problem with all of this:
Arenas, in his absolute prime, was never close to as good as Wade, Kobe, or Lebron, particularly on the defensive end. On offense he was often a volume shooter, and he could certainly not run a team. A few years ago the Wizards core, as a whole, was closer to its prime and couldn’t get it done then. I’ll believe in that team when I see it, but for now I’ll pencil them in as – MAYBE – the 7th or 8th seed.
August 3rd, 2009 at 7:39 pm
doc says:
Dont put Durant over Gil until he wins 40 games please.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:20 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
Don’t put Gil over Durant till he come back from those Popsicle stick ass knees of his.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Rashad says:
Yeah Gils been here in chicago training with Tim Glover!he’s been playing @ a couple of pro-ams killing it! I got footage on my cell!he looks back to form almost he’ s about 80 percent,the wizards are going to be a contender!
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:14 pm
doc says:
I’ll take that.But hes proven he can take a team to the playoffs healthy.