Gilbert Arenas insists he's happy. He just doesn't look like it.
"The past me used to show his happiness on the outside, and there's no need to do that anymore," he said Monday. "Now I can just play the game the right way and play with my passion, and that's what we need to focus on."
As expected, the Washington Wizards guard had little to say when he made his first public comments since his sentencing for a felony gun charge in March.
"I just want to play," he said. "This is part of my job, you gotta deal with it."
Now No. 9, Arenas took part in the team's mandatory media day and answered questions for about 3 minutes, speaking softly, seriously and with no hint of the carefree joy that had become such an intricate part of the personality formerly known as Agent Zero.
Arenas said from now on the only place he wants to smile is on the court.
"I think you'll see him, as he starts playing the games, his passion will start showing because he loves the game too much," head coach Flip Saunders said.
Sports
Asked how he's changed, Arenas said: "I'm more to myself now. You're getting older, so you automatically grow."
He made no mention any lessons he learned from his crime or his sentence, which included 30 days in a halfway house.
NBA Commissioner David Stern advised Arenas not to talk about the gun incident.
Fan, Follow and Text: Get the latest from NBCWashington.com anytime, anywhere. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up for our e-mail newsletters and get breaking news delivered right to your mobile phone -- just text DCBREAKING to 622339 to sign up. (Message and data rates may apply.)
