Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas is being criticized for his xenophobic rant against South Sudan and U.S. national team star Joel Embiid after the U.S. national team nearly lost a friendly match against the South Sudanese national basketball team over the weekend.
Arenas took to TikTok to criticize the U.S. team’s performance in the match, saying in a video posted to the @bestsportsprocution account that “the men’s team almost lost to the Africans and ‘King’ had to save us.”
“King” refers to basketball superstar LeBron James, who scored a layup with less than 10 seconds left in the game to seal the 101-100 victory.
The former Wizards star continued to disparage South Sudan, commenting on the quality of life and arguing that the U.S. should not have lost to the “Cool Runnings” team, a reference to the Jamaican bobsled team featured in the 1988 Winter Olympics and subsequent Disney film.
“This is crazy, M’Bied pitching games for his cousin,” Arenas once said.
Embiid was born in Cameroon, not South Sudan, moved to the United States at age 16 and became a U.S. citizen in 2022.
When asked about Arenas’ comments, Embiid said he didn’t “condone” them, adding that he hadn’t heard what exactly was said.
“If it was that negative, that would be all the more disappointing,” Embiid said. “It shows what basketball in Africa has done for us to be in a position where we can have some impact. Even in the position that I’m in now. [in]… It’s really unfortunate, especially with so much negativity in the world we live in right now.”
Social media users were quick to condemn Arenas’ comments, with some calling it “unnecessary disrespect” towards the South Sudan team, to “shading xenophobia towards Embiid” and even “questioning his loyalties.”
Arenas, who spent 11 seasons in the NBA and was named to three All-Star teams, shared an Instagram Story in which Brooklyn-based rapper Tutmes said Arenas tries to stop “perpetuating” stereotypes.
“Currently trying to enlighten @no.chill.gil about his recent comments about the South Sudanese basketball team. Might have to listen to the podcast to further enlighten my brother not to perpetuate ridiculous stereotypes,” Thutmose wrote.
South Sudan and the U.S. team will next meet on July 31 in the Paris Olympics group stage, which also includes games against Serbia on July 28 and Puerto Rico on Aug. 3.
