Gilbert Arenas says he feels uneasy about how Underdog views him after missing Wednesday’s Gil’s Arena episode, with Skip Bayless filling in. Arenas points to viewer and producer reactions shaping the partnership, and he compares the dynamic to what he experie
Gilbert Arenas didn’t just miss Wednesday’s episode of Gil’s Arena—he left behind a moment that immediately sparked questions about his future on the platform.
Instead of Arenas, longtime sports commentator Skip Bayless stepped in. Bayless has recently joined forces with Underdog, a connection that turned the episode into a fresh talking point for fans. Not long after the show aired. Arenas went live and raised concerns that his role in the partnership may be shrinking.
Arenas admitted he feels uneasy about how Underdog views him at this stage of the agreement. He suggested that reactions from viewers and producers may have created a belief that the show could continue without him.
“I’m not sure they like ME anymore,” Arenas said during the livestream. “When people start writing the team is better without them, that player reads it.”
In that same moment. he expanded on the point in a way that sounded less like a complaint and more like a warning. He compared it to situations he dealt with during his NBA career, saying outside opinions can slowly shape internal decisions. He added that if producers believe fans don’t care whether he appears on the show. it changes the way his role is treated.
Arenas, a three-time NBA All-Star and former Washington Wizards guard, also said he is currently staying away because he considers himself on “Finals duty,” not focused on this version of the program.
Behind the livestream unease sits the business structure of the show. Back in October, Arenas revealed he sold 50 percent of Gil’s Arena to Underdog. Under that arrangement. the company took over responsibilities tied to staffing and channel operations while reducing the show’s weekly schedule to two episodes.
So when Bayless filled in for Arenas on Wednesday, the optics landed hard. The question fans are now working through is straightforward: with Underdog holding staffing and channel operational control, how much creative and on-air authority does Arenas still have?
The former NBA star’s comments don’t answer it. They widen the uncertainty. And for a show built around Arenas’ voice and presence. the timing—missing an episode. watching another prominent commentator step in. then speaking publicly about whether he’s still wanted—has turned a routine week into something fans can’t ignore.
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