Gilbert Arenas says haters are hoping Team USA loses so it hurts LeBron’s GOAT debate

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Team USA pulled off an incredible comeback on the backs of some truly impressive performances in their Olympic semifinal game against the Serbian national basketball team on Thursday.

While the vast majority of American basketball fans are surely celebrating the win, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas took to social media to declare his belief that some haters wanted Team USA to lose so they could blame Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

“The reason that these guys are rooting for the South Sudan, the Serb — everybody against USA is so LeBron James, if he fails, they get to throw this, ‘This is why you’re not the G.O.A.T.,'” he said. “Even though their G.O.A.T. wasn’t s— at this age. Any G.O.A.T. that they even decide to pick was not a basketball player at this age.

“So they’re gonna judge him off of something that their star wasn’t even a part of. But if he wins, if he wins, ‘Ah that s— don’t matter. It was a team thing.'”

Arenas’ passionate message will surely have many James fans pumping their fists in agreement. For years, James’ biggest supporters have often expressed the belief that nothing he’s accomplished could ever be enough to convince his greatest detractors. However, when he loses, those same detractors point to the losses as proof that he isn’t the greatest of all time.

The good news for James’ fans is that Team USA’s win over Serbia on Thursday offered yet another shining example of why he truly is one of the greatest to ever do it. Team USA was down by as many as 17 points in the game, and it started the fourth quarter facing a double-digit deficit.

However, the super-talented roster never accepted defeat.

The team was led by a number of strong performances, including a lights-out shooting night from Stephen Curry, fearless play down the stretch from big man Joel Embiid and clutch shooting from Kevin Durant. While all of those performances were crucial, it was James who was everywhere on the floor, finishing with a triple-double.

He recorded 16 points, 12 boards and 10 assists. More importantly, he helped lead his team to the championship game.

In the game that will decide who wins the gold, James will be playing against a French national many believe will be the next face of the NBA, Victor Wembanyama. Time will tell whether Wembanyama will manage to claim victory or James will stand at the mountaintop of international basketball once again.