"A lot of critics back home said ‘You should go somewhere else because Arizona’s too big for you,’" he recalls. "So when I got there, I chose it (number 0) anyway just to show them."
From an acceptable 10.9 points and 3.7 assists in 25 minutes a game in 2001-2002 with Golden State, Arenas’ numbers jumped along with his improvement the following season, when he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player. This season, he was traded to the Washington Wizards, where he posted career highs of 19.6 points, 5 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game, working around a groin pull. Unfortunately, the Wizards were less than magical, missing the playoffs.
"We got hurt, 55 percent of the time, so we didn’t really get a rhythm of playing together," Arenas told The STAR. "I wasn’t happy with it just because I was injured and I did predict we would make the playoffs. I know I can bring my team to the playoffs, so I was kind of expecting more."
Even though he did confess to hating defense, the 6-3 guard has always had a philosophy of working harder than other players. His father always told him that working hard, showing up, never giving up and not caring what other people say would take him places.
"I don’t need anything to motivate me," he declares. "The only thing you wait for is to play ball, I just self-motivate. I’m ready all the time."
Arenas was at the adidas Superstar Camp in Shanghai a few weeks ago with retired NBA All-Star Detlef Schrempf. Many of the high-school age participants (mostly from China) impressed him, and he reflected on the impact Chinese center Yao Ming has had on the game.
"He’s surprised a lot of people with what he’s done," Arenas confirms. "And he’s gotten a lot bigger up on top."
Having been in the league for three years now, the self-made Arenas knows his way around, and easily picks out the most difficult part of being an NBA star.
"The girls!" he laughs, then turns serious. "You know, you can’t take any days off. You play with the superstars every day. One day you’ll be playing with Kevin Garnett, Shaq, T-Mac, it just goes on and on and on. So you have to be ready to play every day. You can’t just take anything away from anybody and take a day off. That person you’re playing against is coming after you."
And, even with the language barrier, Arenas’s message was loud and clear to the campers.
"Just always believe in yourself, and play hard. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do it, or that you can’t be in the NBA. Just use that as motivation and keep playing."
Coca-Cola coach and former Blue Eagle Chot Reyes will steer the squad, which will be led by San Miguel Beer’s Olsen Racela and FedEx Express’s Wesley Gonzales. Other members of the Legends team are retired PBA All-Star Jojo Lastimosa, veterans Eric Reyes, Rainier Sison, Gabby Cui, Richie Ticzon and Nonoy Chuatico, Jun Reyes and members of the 2002 UAAP champion team like Sonny Tadeo, Andrew Cruz and Epok Quimpo. The legends will be sporting retro jerseys for the match.