It was Draymond Green who first coined the term “old media,” helping usher in the athlete-driven media space. In the years since, numerous other players and former stars have also joined the movement. But very few have been as prolific or outspoken as Gilbert Arenas.
The former Washington Wizards star was one of the most lethal bucket-getters on the court and has since become an incredibly polarizing voice off it. However, in a rather shocking development, “Gil’s Arena” is headed for a major overhaul.
Gilbert Arenas Pursuing New Avenue
A career 20.7-point per game scorer, Arenas averaged as much as 29.3 points a night in a season, earning three All-Star selections over the course of his 11-year NBA career. Nicknamed “Agent Zero,” he seamlessly transitioned into sports media.
After starting his own podcast, he also developed a show in partnership with Underdog, while becoming a regular on “Nightcap” alongside ex-NFL stars Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe. Additionally, he’s continued to make other podcast appearances in the interim.
However, one of those commitments is coming to a conclusion. During an appearance on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” Arenas revealed that he’d ended his partnership with Underdog.
“Moving in a different direction. In about six days, I will 100% own ‘Gil’s Arena’s’ name,” Arenas said.
However, Arenas did specify that his supporting cast and the other hosts on the show would likely undergo some changes, at least for the time being.
“Well, the other characters are still under contract until September. We’re starting up in August, so unless they just flat out quit, I can’t talk to ’em and I can’t recruit ’em, I can’t poach. So, I gotta look for a different cast of guys.”
Gilbert arenas reveals to Stephen a smith he’s starting his new show august with a new cast because his old cast is still under contract till September and he’s not able to communicate it or recruit them pic.twitter.com/W1lUZCmWtN
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Thechat101) June 24, 2026
It remains to be seen if the new show includes some of his regulars. But trouble seemed to be brewing between the two parties for quite some time, as Arenas hinted at drama between himself and Underdog after he was essentially replaced by Skip Bayless when he went on vacation.
Now, it sounds like Kenyon Martin, Rashad McCants, Nick Young, and Josiah Johnson are all under contract through September, and he can’t poach anyone. But it’s possible they will join him later when their deals expire.
Eventually, it was going to lead down this road, but the end came far quicker than most anticipated. But if Arenas is coming back in August with full control of his product, then it could turn out to be the most unfiltered version of his show yet.
