Now before I go any further, I must begin by saying that I am a huge Gilbert Arenas fan.  What’s not to like about an NBA player who:

- Was abandoned at an early age by his mother

- Became the biggest superstar to have been drafted in the second round (according to Kelly Dwyer…and me)

- He has about 10 nicknames – and they’re all good ones

- Has some of the best soundbites EVER

And his explosive basketball play.  From 2004 through 2007, this guy was on an absolute scoring tear – putting up consecutive years of 25.5, 29.3 and 28.4 points per game.  He hit game-winning shots on what seemed to be a nightly basis.

What's really going on with Arenas' knee??

He had the confidence, the skill, and “the swag.”  But then came the injury (so much for that initial 2-3 month recovery estimate).  Since that day in April of 2007, the player formerly known as Hibachi has only appeared in 15 contests – averaging a mere 18.5 points per game.

But what has most Wizards fans concerned is his lack of explosion.  On the occasions that he has made ‘guest appearances,’ Gilbert has looked far from explosive.  He has settled for jump shots, passed the ball, and ran the offense.  It wasn’t his style.  Prior to his knee injury, Gil always had the green light.  And he exercised his privilege with reckless abandon.

I also wonder if G.A. had a sense that he would never be the same player, and went after a huge contract.  The signing of a $111 million contract by a seriously injured player is not an everyday occurrence.  But the possibility that Agent Zero might get better and return to form was just too much to fathom, so Washington executed the deal.

Managers, GMs and other sports executives hold their collective breaths when knee injuries are mentioned.  The fact that Gilbert has been battling this knee problem for two years does not instill confidence in me that he will be back to normal.  He has gotten older and been away from the game for two years, which could prove to be too much to overcome.

However, Washington is hoping that two full years of rehabbing will have him in a position to compete at his original All-Star caliber level during the 2009-10 NBA season.  They need him back in full effect.

Only a healthy Arenas can bring a spotlight back on the Wizards.  Unfortunately, upon his return, he’ll find that there’s a new Black President in town.

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