Former NBA Star Reveals Shocking Team USA Story

In this story:
With the FIBA World Cup underway, many basketball talk shows are discussing Team USA. During a recent episode of Gil's Arena, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas shared his shocking experience with Team USA that led to him quitting the team before they had an opportunity to cut him.
"I pulled my groin," Arenas said. "And I thought it was the same - I didn't want that same lingering injury I had my first year in Washington, so I went to Colangelo and said, 'Hey man, I pulled my groin, I tweaked it, I don't know how long this is going to be lingering, so I don't want to hold up a spot for someone who is trying to make this team.' He hurt my feelings with his answer, he said, 'You were on the bubble anyways, so if you gotta go home, you gotta go home.' Bubble?... The f--k are you talking about, bubble?"
Arenas said he made the decision then to head home, and ended up releasing an interview that detailed the story. For Arenas, it was a shocking moment for him, because he felt he was one of the best options Team USA had. Their management evidently felt different about their options, and lost the two-time All-Star prior to the games beginning.
Finishing his career with the Memphis Grizzlies, Arenas played 11 NBA seasons.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.