Bilal Coulibaly has said that he would like to wear No. 0 for the Wizards next season, becoming the first zero-wearer since Gilbert Arenas left town in 2010 – and some folks are upset that “Agent Zero” is getting that digit co-opted?
Not Eric Bickel, at least.
“I think it’s fine,” EB deadpanned, as if this is an issue that shouldn’t be. “He’s picking a unique number. Gil was a fun player for a few years here, but it ended weird, and he’s more of a character than anything else at this point. Great player, spectacular at the peak of his powers, but it’s not like he’s going to the Hall of Fame.”
“He made the All-Star team three years in a row, and during the peak, he was one of the best players in the game,” JP said. “I remember having an argument with you and Cakes, and you said you wouldn’t trade him for Kobe Bryant! Which was absurd, and always will be, but at the time, you had your emotions.”
And wait – there are people who want that No. 0 RETIRED for Arenas?
“He was beloved for a period of time, and won as much as anybody here, but you can’t retire a guy’s bumber if he’s not a Hall of Famer, in my mind,” JP said.
That led to wonder of players whose numbers are retired that aren’t in the Hall of Fame, but to EB, it’s more than that.
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“I don’t think you have to be a Hall of Famer, but maybe you need to have a little more class attached to your game?” EB asked. “Gilbert’s legacy is so tattered. He was here for seven years, but his last two were littered with injury.”
“They also don’t have playoff success – you can’t retire numbers from teams who were sixth or seventh seeds,” Drab chimed in.
So no retirement, but could the Wizards do what some teams do and “unofficially” retire it by not giving it out?
“The Redskins were notorious for that, like they didn’t give out No. 7, Theismann’s number, until Dwayne Haskins asked for it,” EB said. “I’m sure they haven’t given out Darrell Green’s number either. JP’s question is if Arenas was quality enough – he was, but not long enough.”
Retiring numbers is a slippery slope, which led the guys to question whether or not the Wiz would have to retire Bradley Beal’s No. 3 if they retired Arenas’ No. 0.
“Bottom line, no one should have a problem with him choosing No. 0,” Bish said, and EB pulled out the ultimate hope: “I just hope that in three years, Coulibaly is a player, no matter what number he wears, and if he keeps growing, that’s great.”
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