Gilbert Arenas Goes On Racist Tirade Following Narrow Win Over South Sudan

Gilbert Arenas is being denounced by many fans on social media after controversial comments following Team USA’s tight win over South Sudan on Saturday. The former all-star took to TikTok to fire shots at South Sudan’s national team and Joel Embiid.

“We got the males, almost lost to some Africans” and “The King [Lebron James] had to save us,” Arenas remarked. “Almost lost to the Ahi Ahi tribe. This is crazy.”

The ex-Wizards guard referred to the South Sudanese team as “the Cool Runnings team,” a reference to the Jamaican bobsled team from the 1988 Winter Olympics. “This is crazy, Embiid over there, throwing the game for his cousins,” Arenas added as he continued his offensive tirade.

Arenas also bashed the quality of life in South Sudan by saying that “they get their shoes from America” and that “they shoot on peach baskets in the dirt.”

Embiid said that he hadn’t heard what Arenas said while disapproving of his comments. “If it was that negative, it’s just that disappointing,” the 76ers center commented. “It’s really unfortunate, especially in the world we live in right now, so much negativity.”

Embiid was born in Cameroon and became a United States citizen at age 16.

Social media users were quick to condemn Arenas’ xenophobic rant, with some questioning the “unnecessary disrespect” toward South Sudan basketball and “questioning his allegiance.”

Arenas shared an Instagram story from Brooklyn-based rapper Thutmose. “Currently trying to educate @no.chill.gil on his recent comments on the South Sudanese basketball team, might have to pull up to the podcast to teach my brother more on not promoting ridiculous stereotypes,” Thutmose wrote.

Article by Christian Bongiorno