Washington Wizards Teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton Pull Guns on Each Other in Locker Room Over Gambling Debt

Commissioner Stern suspends Gilbert Arenas indefinitely and without pay!

Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton reportedly pulled guns on each other in team locker room during argument over gambling debt.

Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton let the thuggery in them come out when they reportedly drew guns on each other in the team's locker room during a Christmas Eve argument over a gambling debt. Money can lead one to do some crazy things, but pulling a gun? Sheesh. According to the New York Post, three-time NBA all-star Arenas, 27, drew his gun first and then Crittenton, 22, brandished his firearm as well. Ironically, the Washington D.C. Wizards changed their name from the "Bullets" because of gun violence concerns. Sorry, but suspensions and fines should be handed down by the team's management. This is unacceptable behavior and could be considered reckless endangerment of the other players and personnel in the locker room at the time. By the way, this gun drama has been turned over to the authorities and has even piqued the interest of the FBI over the gambling aspect of this incident.

The excuse that Gilbert Arenas reportedly gave team officials as to why he had guns in his locker at Verizon Center was so they wouldn't be close to his newborn at their home in Great Falls, Va. Er, isn't that why you have a safe or some other secured area in your home? Besides, Arenas, a father is three, has the financial means to secure his weapons so that his children would not get access to them. Team owner, the late Abe Pollin is literally rolling over in his grave over this incident. His sensitivity about guns was reportedly heightened because of the fatal shooting of his friend Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. He changed the name of the club from the Bullets in 1997 to the Wizards because he didn't like the violent overtone of the name.

"I'm not your punk!" Crittenton shouted at Arenas, according to a league source close to the Wizards. That prompted Arenas to draw on Crittenton, who then also grabbed for a gun, league security sources said. The Wizards announced on Christmas Day that Arenas had admitted to bringing guns to the locker room and had turned them over to team security. No ammunition was handed over.

The NBA club's statement didn't disclose how Wizards officials discovered that Arenas was storing weapons on the job. But a league source said Arenas' weapons were uncovered only after the confrontation with Crittenton. Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld declined to comment. "It's in the hands of [Washington] authorities," said Grunfeld, a former star Knicks player and president. "We're going to get to the bottom of this, if there is a bottom to this." Source: NY Post

This behavior is unprecedented in the sport of basketball and it does not send a good message to young people. Solving your disputes with guns is a recipe for disaster and could result in someone getting shot and possibly killed. Arenas denied pulling a gun on Crittenton and reportedly scoffed at the suggestion that he would point a gun at a teammate. He has had problems with gun laws before. He pleaded guilty in 2003 to misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon in San Francisco. This kind of behavior lends credence to a lot of the rhetoric being spewed by people like Rush Limbaugh. Why does so many of our young black men have such a fascination with guns and are proned to acts of violence? Simply put, this is a disgrace.

Washington D.C. law allows gun owners to carry firearms only within D.C. under extremely limited circumstances, such as taking the weapon to a practice range. Since there are no provisions in the laws for taking a gun to work, these two men don't have a leg to stand on as to why they had guns in their possession on the job.  Wow, what great role models these two men are to the young men in their families and in Arenas' case, to his three children.

Photo credits:  Gilbert Arenas, (top right), Getty Images, Javaris Crittenton, (bottom left), Blowtorch