Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas appeared on ESPN’s First Take during Thursday’s live broadcast from Fanatics Fest in New York City, where he shared his thoughts on the culture surrounding championship rings. The topic was initially brought up by LA Lakers star LeBron James on his show, “Mind the Game.”
According to James, players with just one championship ring are often ranked lower than those with multiple titles. The lack of a ring also negatively impacts how star players are viewed historically. He noted that even all-time greats, such as his podcast co-host Steve Nash, are often penalized in legacy discussions for never winning a title.
Arenas weighed in, arguing that even players who contribute heavily to championship teams, such as No. 2 options, don’t always get the respect they deserve. He cited Kobe Bryant as an example, pointing out that by 2002, Bryant had already won three championships but was still being compared to players like Tracy McGrady, who had never won a title.
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"Y'all wasn't treating (Kobe) like a three ring player. You're treating him like a sidekick. He was considered a sidekick. He was considered a Robin. He was considered the next Pippen. In 2002, with three rings, we were still comparing (him with) TMac.
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"The one who's leading the team, that's the gold member right there, that ring counts," Arenas added. "The second option ring, no one respects it. In history, no one has respected it."
Gilbert Arenas also brought up Scottie Pippen, who won six championships with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Despite his success, Pippen is often ranked below players who never won a title, largely because Jordan receives the bulk of the credit:
"What LeBron is saying is, 'When did we take away your greatness as a player and used team-structured awards?'"
Regardless of the debate, winning a championship remains the ultimate goal for every NBA star. Whether they’re the No. 1 or No. 2 option, their individual greatness should be recognized.
Fans reacted to Gilbert Arenas' take on the NBA's ring culture
Gilbert Arenas is known for sparking debate with his candid takes, and his comments about ring culture were no exception.
"Gilbert Arenas has won 0 rings with 0 final appearances. So we should not respect his opinion by his logic," a fan said.
"Funny coming from a guy with 0 rings," another fan commented.
"Not true at all. I’ve never seen people disrespect Scottie Pippen’s championships," one fan said.
Others, however, agreed with Arenas’ viewpoint.
"He cooked on this!!" a comment read about Bryant's three-peat with the Lakers.
"He’s correct in a sense. I’d take prime KD over prime Scottie any day," a fan agreed with Arenas.
"Facts... People said MJ was better than Kareem BEFORE he passed him in rings," one fan commented.
Arenas’ take highlights a larger conversation about how greatness is measured in a team sport and whether ring count alone should determine a player's legacy.
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