Deep in Wizards owner Ted Leonsis’s blog post earlier today on his website, Ted’s Take, about a highlight video of rookie Kevin Seraphin was just a little tidbit about Leonsis happening upon a pick-up game on the Verizon Center practice court last night that included Gilbert Arenas and other NBA players, including unnamed all-stars.
“Gilbert looked trim, fit and explosive. His shot was sweet and he did one left handed dunk that was something to see. It had everyone talking. I was impressed and am happy,” said Leonsis.
Leonsis said it was accidental that he ended up there, but it’s unlikely that the re-introduction of Arenas after his extremely low profile offseason will happen without plenty of forethought and planning, and a nice, well-buried, positive tidbit like today is the perfect first step.
I’ve talked to a few different sports PR folks around town to solicit opinions on when Arenas will take the leap and start talking to the press again. Just over a month remains before training camp, which would hardly be a desirable setting to have Arenas first back in the public eye, as it would be a massive distraction from the image the young and rebuilt Wizards want to project. The next week or two also isn’t the best time, either, because neither college football nor the NFL are yet underway, which would allow the Arenas story to dominate the sports airwaves. Better timing might be right after the NFL’s first weekend, when the sports plate is full enough that Arenas doesn’t have to overwhelm it.
Maybe there’s no specific date or time, either, and Arenas himself is always an unpredictable wild card, as can be any athlete. (In my case, since I cover soccer, take for example the retirement announcement by D.C. United forward Jaime Moreno, which had to go hastily public after Moreno threw the timetable into disarray when he posted a message on his Facebook account.) But there’s no doubt that there is just as much intrigue over what Arenas will say and when as there is over how he will play for the Wizards this season.
