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Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas mocks illegal gambling charges posting one-line defense

For such a serious federal indictment allegedly operating an illegal gambling business, Arenas was openly mocking the charges on social media.
Matthew Graham|
Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

If Gilbert Arenas is worried about the federal indictment for allegedly operating an illegal gambling business, the former NBA star sure isn't acting like it.

The now outspoken "No Chill Gil" YouTuber and social media influencer took to his X handle to respond to the chargers after getting released on $50,000 bond.

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Gilbert Arenas
Kim Klement-Imagn Images

"I[']m Back on the Streets... This ain't got shyt to do with me ' just rented the house' Wasn[']t apart," Arenas wrote.

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Grammar and spelling aside, the three-time NBA All-Star is taking direct aim at the allegations he ran high-stakes poker games out of an Encino mansion that he owned, along with five other associates, including a "suspected high-level member of an Israeli transnational organized crime group," according to ABC News investigative reporter Mike Levine.

Arenas wasn't done, posting another tweet minutes later that read, "THEY CAN[']T HOLD ME," with a meme of a dude rolling out of a coffin and then busting some dance moves.

Of course high-stakes gambling controversies have been an issue with Arenas in the past, with the infamous locker room gun incident while playing for the Washington Wizards, in which he and teammate Javaris Crittenton got into a heated argument over a card game on the team plane, culminating with both of them bringing firearms to the locker room, Crittenton's allegedly loaded. Afterwards, both of them were suspended for the rest of the NBA season.

Javaris Crittenton
Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

More recently, Arenas avoided personal tragedy when his son, Alijah, a five-star recruit playing for the USC Trojans next season, had to be taken out of an induced coma after crashing his Tesla Cybertruck because of smoke inhalation. Arenas confirmed soon after that Alijah, 18, was "doing very well."

Unfortunately, only last week, Alijah suffered a torn meniscus, putting his entire season in "jeopardy."

Arenas, 43, has endured a lot throughout his NBA career, and more recently avoiding family tragedy. A federal indictment is apparently no big deal.

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Matthew Graham
MATTHEW GRAHAM

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.

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