“Plays Like He’s Tied Down”: Gilbert Arenas Uses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Marriage To Hailey Summers Against Him

With the 2024-25 Playoffs less than 30 games away, NBA analysts have begun discussing the postseason chances of the top teams in the league. The conversation reached Gilbert Arenas’ podcast too, though the former Washington Wizard used a peculiar point to undermine OKC’s postseason potential.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s team holds an 8.5-game advantage over the second and third seed, essentially guaranteeing them the first seed out West. However, Arenas and his crew believe that the Thunder have yet to prove themselves as true title contenders.

Instead of breaking down their gameplans or statistics, though, Gil jokingly pointed to SGA’s marital status as a thorn in his side. Gilgeous-Alexander married his longtime girlfriend Hailey Summers in February 2024. The couple welcomed their first child a few months later.

According to Arenas, “he plays like he’s tied down.” He added to his point by comparing the Canadian guard to his competitor in the MVP race, Nikola Jokic. “He plays like he’s good at home. Just like Jokic, you know he got the ring right here,” the three-time All-Star said on his podcast.

The Joker notably used to tie his wedding ring to the shoes he wore in-game. According to Gil, both he and Shai play with a certain nonchalance due to their contentment at home. Hilariously, he contrasted their style of play to the more untethered athletes in the NBA.

“You know the motherf**kers [who] got 4 baby mommas in the stands stressing the motherf**ker,” Arenas added.

Gil was arguing that having stability at home makes SGA and Jokic play a more laid-back brand of basketball. On the other hand, he believes that the single superstars of the league play with a greater chip on their shoulder as they only have the game to derive joy out of.

Of course, his argument doesn’t stand the test of time. The greatest players in NBA history —Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant — were all ‘tied down’ during their primes. But contrary to Arenas’ nature, his words aren’t an indictment of Gilgeous-Alexander’s game, either.

Gilbert Arenas believes Shai deserves the MVP award

Despite the Joker’s league-leading 25 triple-doubles and his Nuggets’ recent 9-game winning streak, SGA has remained the front-runner in the MVP race over the past few weeks.

While there is much contention amongst the fans about which athlete has been more valuable, Gilbert Arenas has no doubts about Gilgeous-Alexander’s worthiness. However, he did have some advice for the 26-year-old on how he can solidify his case.

“If you look at [Derrick] Rose’s numbers when he won the MVP, what stood out is what he was doing; it looked great. So, you know, with Shai, the optics is gonna have to play a part,” Agent Zero explained.

“When you think about Jokic, you think about everything he’s doing. So, you can’t beat him by a little votes… I’m a three-time MVP. You gotta wipe me,” Arenas added.

Much like it was for Rose, SGA’s team record is the biggest distinguishing factor in his favor. As the best player on the best team, Shai will have to work that narrative in order to put a comfortable gap between himself and Jokic. There are less than 45 days remaining in the regular season for him to achieve that.