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"That’s the same mother*****r who tapped me on my shoulder" - Gilbert Arenas recalls the time he hated LeBron James


Ever since Gilbert Arenas has transitioned into the media space, he has become one of the most vocal supporters of LeBron James in the GOAT debate.

Whether it's breaking down each of LBJ's accomplishments or defending his value for the Los Angeles Lakers, "Agent Zero" consistently finds ways to shield the four-time MVP from criticism.

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However, there was a time when he simply hated "The Akron Hammer." In fact, he went on to admit that hatred was so real that he desperately wanted the Dallas Mavericks to beat the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.

Arenas admits to his d islike for James

Considering how long LeBron has been in the league and how consistently he has performed, it comes as no surprise that he has battled against every player who has risen to stardom since 2003. One of those was Arenas himself, who, during his prime with the Washington Wizards, was widely seen as one of the best pure scorers in the league.

So, when he and James battled it out in the Eastern Conference first-round series in 2006 as LeBron was starting to soar with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the stakes were high. And while Arenas averaged 34 points over across six games, James registered a scoring average of 35.7 points per game to carry his Cavs into the next round.

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One of the most infamous moments from that series came when James tapped "The Hibachi" on the shoulder during the clutch time of Game 6, subtly signaling how his time was up. That quiet but intimidating gesture left such a bitter taste in Arenas' mouth that he confessed on his podcast that he couldn't stomach the idea of the four-time MVP winning in 2011.

"He beat his King. He didn't play for the Lakers then. I didn't like that motherf****r in Miami or Cleveland. I was with you motherf****rs back then," Arenas said. "That same motherf****r tapped me on my shoulder. F**k him. I was with Dallas. Hell yeah, Caron, beat that motherf****r."

Related: "His dad's been trying to get him out of here for a while" - Andre Iguodala says Klay Thompson's dad had been asking his son to join the Lakers for years

LeBron dominated Arenas during their playing da ys

Even though Arenas technically had the edge in head-to-head matchups, winning 12 of the 21 regular-season games he played against the 6'9" forward and holding a narrow 15-14 lead overall, including the playoffs, it was LeBron who often dominated the box score. Across 29 meetings, the four-time Finals MVP, who outscored him in 20 games, outrebounded him in 25 and posted averages of 29.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in the Playoffs, once again proving his edge when it mattered most.

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So, when we thought the former Most Improved Player of the Year had the potential to carry the Wizards deep into the playoffs, the constant sight of James outperforming him and eventually becoming a hindrance in his plans to succeed made it tough for him to accept who the true alpha superstar was.

Still, it's a mark of Gilbert's maturity today that he openly acknowledges James' greatness even after all those heated battles during his prime years. As he's reaching closer and closer to the end of his Hall of Fame career, at 40 years old, more and more LeBron's haters are turning into his fans, as it's often the case with the historically great players.

Related: "He's not a small forward or a guard" - Dominique comments on LeBron's all-around game

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