“I could hear the top rafters,” Gilbert Arenas empathizes with Tiger Wood’s scandalous career after Orlando fans drove him to depression

Gilbert Arenas was empathizing with Tiger Woods during his run with the Orlando Magic.

“I could hear the top rafters,” Gilbert Arenas empathizes with Tiger Wood’s scandalous career after Orlando fans drove him to depression

Tiger Woods and Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas is completely responsible for his early retirement. Injuries robbed him of becoming a champion and having a stacked resume. But it’s his arrogance that had him play through pain without thinking about the after-effects of those unhealed injuries on his body. All of this hit Arenas right in the face when issues with his lower body begin to rise in 2007.

‘Agent Zero’s’ career went downhill after he tore his ACL in 2007. After his return, when he signed the 6-year $111 million contract with the Washington Wizards many thought he’ll bounce back. But then he ended up in the controversial firearm incident. All these unwanted events made the Wizards trade him to the Orlando Magic. But unfortunately, Orlando was never a fit for Gilbert Arenas and he didn’t even like to be there.

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Years later reflecting upon the one season he spent in Orlando, Gilbert Arenas ended up empathizing with Tiger Woods for his sex scandal in 2009. Talking about his time in Orlando and the hate he was able to notice, Gibby said: “There was a point in Orlando where every morning when I go to the Arena just threw up. Toxic energy just flowing through the atmosphere going to my body at that moment. In time and the previous years, you can see that I am invincible. Before my injury, I didn’t hear nothing in Orlando I didn’t have that. Cloak… I can hear the fu**ing top rafter say ‘Oh! He sucks.’ I can hear that.”

Further, relating it to the worst phase of Tiger Woods’ life, Arenas added: “It reminded me of Tiger Woods when he had that scandal. He didn’t lose his game. You can see him now when Tiger was sitting there and it’s all quiet, what are they talking about? What are they whispering? They are not here for the great Tiger Woods they are here for the scandal.”

In 2009, Tiger Woods was caught in a sex scandal with several women claiming to have sexual relationships with him. He crashed his car, got a divorce, and lost all his sponsors, rank, and basically everything during that phase. But he successfully rebuilt himself after those two disappointing years. Gilbert Arenas’ case though is completely different but it’s nice that he can at least relate with Woods and realize how bad that phase must have been.

Related: LeBron James DESTROYED ‘troll’ Gilbert Arenas with 2006 playoffs game-winning swap, “not the goddamn tenant that I’ve been f**king trolling”

Why did Orlando Magic waive Gilbert Arenas?

Gilbert Arenas (Credits: GQ)
Gilbert Arenas (Credits: GQ)

The Orlando Magic acquired Gilbert Arenas to keep their championship dream alive and have Dwight Howard committed to the system. But unfortunately, Gibby wasn’t the same superstar as he was with the Washington Wizards.

Also, his injuries heavily limited him on the court and he was just not able to fit in the system of coach Jeff Van Gundy.

The 2011 season was a lockout season, the teams got a chance to use a one-time amnesty clause. It came along with the new CBA. The Magic knew Dwight Howard would be rolling out and it won’t make any sense to pay Gilbert Arenas for the next two years. So they used the clause to clear his salary and waived him and the two years remaining on his contract ($40 million). Both sides also mutually agreed on stretching the payments.

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