NBA Draft: Top 30 draft steals in league history
Scouting Report. Gilbert Arenas. 26. player. 41. Pick Analysis. Point Guard. 31st Pick: 2001
Best NBA Draft steals of all time: Gilbert Arenas, Golden State Warriors
Gilbert Arenas may very well go down as one of the best second-round picks in NBA history.
Selected 31st overall in the 2001 NBA Draft, Arenas spent his first two seasons with the Golden State Warriors, providing instant offense and becoming a starter in his second season.
After his rookie contract Arenas signed with the Washington Wizards, where he spent most of his career, becoming synonymous with D.C. basketball.
Although a host of injuries limited Arenas’ to a total of 15 games from the beginning of the 2007-08 NBA season to the end of the 2008-09 NBA season, his eight-year Wizards career was wildly successful.
Arenas led the team to four straight playoff appearances, although the Wizards made it to the second round only once. He also earned three consecutive All-Star appearances and All-NBA team selections during the same run.
While is on court play — especially offensively — made him a fan favorite, Arenas’ career is most notably known for his off court antics. In January 2010, Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton both faced felony charges for having firearms in the Wizards’ locker room. Along with a season-long suspension, Arenas was sentenced to 30 days in a halfway house and two years of probation.
Arenas returned to the Wizards after his suspension, but was traded two months into the season. His final years in the NBA were spent with the Orlando Magic and the Memphis Grizzlies, before he went to play professionally in China.
It’s rare that a second-round draft pick becomes an NBA All-Star and an All-NBA performer. For Arenas, it happened three times. Regardless of his injuries and legal troubles, he is still considered a major draft steal.