Gilbert Arenas opens up about why Michael Jordan was never his favorite player growing up

Gilbert Arenas, despite growing up in a Michael Jordan-dominated household, found his basketball idol in Penny Hardaway. Inspired by Hardaway’s high school highlights, Arenas changed his jersey number to 25 and passionately defended Hardaway’s skills. This early fandom fueled Arenas’ own successful NBA career, where he emulated Hardaway’s style and embraced individuality over conventional expectations.