As more details emerge surrounding Gilbert Arenas’ alleged display/brandishing of firearms in the Wizards’ locker room, Nets PG Devin Harris tells the New York Daily News’ Mitch Abramson and Julian Garcia that Agent Zero is hardly alone when it comes to pro ballers possessing pistols.
“I mean, look at the situation,” said Harris, who added that he does not own a gun. “A lot of guys have been robbed. A couple of guys, God rest their souls, have passed away. I guess they feel like they need some sort of protection, I don’t know. I can’t speak for everybody. I’d say between 60 and 75% (of players own guns).”
Nets teammate Jarvis Hayes, who played with Arenas in Washington from 2003-07, agreed with Harris’ estimate – and he’s among the NBA players who pack heat.
“Yeah, I have (a gun),” Hayes said. “It’s in Atlanta, not here.”
Arenas, 27, in essence denied the reports Friday on Twitter, first tweeting, “I wake up this morning and seen I was the new John Wayne. … Media is too funny.”
Then, in a later post, he wrote, “I understand this is serious … but if u ever met me you know I don’t do serious things I’m a goofball.”
Harris probably wasn’t thinking of poker disputes, as both Antoine Walker and Eddy Curry can attest.
Terry Pluto’s “Loose Balls” has stories about the ABA Indiana Pacers having guns all over the locker room. Although that’s in the context not of gambling debts, but of the players becoming self-styled cowboys. I think Mel Daniels still has his horse farm, if not his six-shooter.