Former three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas has made headlines again, but this time for a much happier occasion.
While in Paris for the Olympics, Arenas reportedly proposed to his girlfriend, Melli Monaco, and he shared the joyous news on Instagram.
On Monday, July 29, Arenas shared a photo of the two together and in the caption, he wrote, “The Eiffel Tower is where it happened. She said nothing. I guess I was so nervous, I asked and answered ‘yes’ for her. So I’m technically engaged to myself at the moment.”
The two have been dating for quite a while and the YouTuber has joined the former athlete’s podcast several times. His comment section was immediately flooded with congratulations and celebrations of the couple’s love.
However, some couldn’t help but recall Arenas’ past statements about marriage following his split with ex-fiancée Laura Govan.
His friend Big Tigger commented, “I know you in love if YOU went back down that road. Congrats fam!!” Another fan questioned, “Wasn’t you the one that preached it’s cheaper to just pay for the p—ni than to marry one???”
“Gil got him a real one,” a fan remarked about his new lady. Yet, some were more worried about the authenticity of Monaco’s diamond, given Arenas’ history of giving fake rings.
Comments included, “So this the real or fake ring?” and “That ring is a replica.”
One person said, “Hope it ain’t fake this time around.”
A third stated, “Somebody check on bro. On another note that ring might be fake. IYKYK”
That was followed by another person saying, “Hope he don’t do the lab diamond swap again.”
Arenas’ reputation for fake rings stems from his relationship with Govan, the mother of his four children. They were together from 2002 through 2014 but broke up after Govan’s alleged affair with Shaquille O’Neal became public after a series of text messages about their secret link ups were made public.
Arenas would later reconcile with his ex, but not without some get back brewing in the back of his mind. During a 2011 breakup, the baller had a fake version of her $400,000 engagement ring made. When the two got back together, he snuck and took the real ring and replaced it with a fake one, which Govan only discovered during a custody battle.
Arenas would later reconcile with his ex and they got engaged in 2008 but not without some get back brewing in the back of his mind. The former NBA baller confessed in an interview that during a 2011 breakup, he had a fake version of her custom $400,000 engagement ring made.
When the two got back together, he claimed he snuck and took the real ring and replaced it with a fake one, which Govan only discovered during a custody battle.
The “Basketball Wives” alumna alleged she was owed profits from the sale of the ring. But the case was dismissed in 2016 after she and her lawyer missed several court dates.
She was livid and the news of the knock off ring that made headlines continues to resurface today. This trouble compounded the already legal problems, the Tampa native has been going through.
In January 2010, Arenas was suspended for the NBA season after being found with an unloaded firearm in the Washington Wizards locker room, resulting in two years probation, 30 days in a halfway house, 400 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine. This incident also cost him his five-year Adidas contract.
Despite these past controversies, things seemed to be looking up for Arenas… sorta.
Before asking his girlfriend to marry him, the former Washington Wizards player faced backlash for a racist and xenophobic rant following Team USA’s narrow victory over South Sudan in an exhibition before the Olympics. Arenas jokingly accused Joel Embiid of throwing the game for South Sudan because he is a native African, making derogatory comments about the team’s lack of resources.
His remarks prompted a strong response from Embiid and South Sudan Basketball Federation’s President Luol Deng, a former Chicago Bulls player.
Luol Deng, President of South Sudan Basketball, responded to the, ‘disrespectful and cruel,’ comments made by Gilbert Arenas.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 25, 2024
“I'm not upset or angry at these ignorant remarks made by my former colleagues; I was more disappointed to see them coming from two individuals l've… pic.twitter.com/UvKeqoxmSq
Deng stated, “Gilbert’s comments were more disrespectful and cruel. Personally, I don’t care much. I would never trade places with anyone; being African is special. However, for young African and African American kids who admire and listen to Gilbert, these comments can make you think less of yourself and make the rest of the world think less of Africans.”
“Those who are easily misled may make comments that reflect self-hate more than pride,” he said.
Adding, “There is nothing about our history that we should run away from. If we as a people realized the greatness from which we came, we would be less likely to disrespect ourselves.”
