Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas is slammed for ‘xenophobic’ rant directed at Team USA’s Joel Embiid and South Sudan players after near-upset in London
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has been criticised for a “xenophobic” tirade aimed at Team USA star Joel Embiid and the South Sudan national basketball team after nearly upsetting the Americans in London.
Team USA defeated South Sudan 101-100 in an Olympic preliminary game on Saturday, needing a layup by LeBron James with less than 10 seconds left to secure the win. South Sudan was a 43.5 underdog going into the exhibition.
The Americans were trailing South Sudan by double digits for a long time in the match, with many people thinking that the four-time reigning gold medalist was not giving it his best.
Arenas, one of James’ earliest NBA rivals when he was with the Wizards and Cavaliers, has taken issue with the U.S. performance in London, before a rematch against South Sudan in Paris.
“The guys almost lost to some Africans. And ‘The King’ had to save us,” Arenas said in a TikTok video referencing James.
Gilbert Arenas has been criticized for a ‘xenophobic’ tirade about Team USA and South Sudan
Arenas said Embiid threw the game at his ‘cousins,’ among other unpleasant comments
Arenas also made a blowpipe gesture to reference South Sudan and how insulting it was to lose a basketball game to someone from that culture.
“We almost lost to the Ahi Ahi tribe. This is insane, Embiid out there, ruining the game for his cousins,” Arenas continued.
That Arenas has Embiid in his sights is suspicious considering he is making his national team debut at the Paris Olympics after denying France and Cameroon the chance to play for Team USA.
Arenas also said it was embarrassing to almost lose to the “Cool Runnings” team, a reference to the 1993 film about the Jamaican bobsled team at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Before ending his tirade, Arenas again criticized the quality of life in South Sudan, saying they “get their shoes from America.”
“They don’t even have basketball hoops, man,” Arenas concluded. “They’re shooting peach baskets in the sand, no shoes.”
Team USA’s rematch against South Sudan will take place on July 31.