From Gilbert Arenas' pair of ’95 Jordan sneakers to Aaron Williams' race track and remote control, check out what these NBA players list as the greatest Christmas gifts they've ever received.What is the best Christmas gift you've ever been given?
Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards:
"My favorite gift was a pair of ’95 Jordan’s: the ones with the patent leather. They’re a size 11. I still have never worn them.”
Ray Allen, Seattle Sonics:
"A much anticipated bike when I was 11, but the first day I took it out I got a flat tire."
Derek Anderson, Portland Trail Blazers:
"I think the best gift I ever got was during my rookie year when my whole family came to spend Christmas with me. They gave me a remote-control car. I had always wanted one but we never had the money for one when I was a kid. It meant so much to me that they remembered I had wanted one and that we could spend the holiday together."
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Young Brent Barry wanted nothing more than some Christmas rapping.
Allen Einstein NBAE/Getty Images |
"I thought I was getting a stereo so I could listen to Roxanne Roxanne by UTFO. But when I opened up all my gifts there was no stereo. However, my Mom surprised me with one last present, a Sanyo turntable-double-cassette stereo. It was nothing but rap music in my house for six months straight."
Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons:
"An Incredible Hulk Big Wheel. That was my favorite present."
Bruce Bowen, San Antonio Spurs:
"I got a football uniform. It had shoulder pads, a plastic helmet, and all that stuff. That was my favorite. I was about eight years old and played outside all day and I didn't even open the rest of my gifts!"
Ryan Bowen, Denver Nuggets:
"My favorite gift? I remember when I was a kid and liked wrestling. One year I got a Junkyard Dog wrestling figure. That was probably my favorite gift. I also remember when I was a kid the year my family got our first VCR. That was a big Christmas."
Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers:
"The best Christmas gift was the $100 I used to get from my mom. That was the best gift. She used to give me $100 and I could buy whatever I wanted. It’s our Christmas tradition."
Sam Cassell, Minnesota Timberwolves:
"The Green Machine."
Baron Davis, New Orleans Hornets:
"My grandfather built me a basketball court when I was four, and from that day forward I've been playing basketball all my life."
Dale Davis, Portland Trail Blazers:
"I can't say one year was better then any other, I just remember that every year I would peek down the stairs trying to get a glimpse of Santa. I always looked, but never saw him. I still look every year though!"
Michael Finley, Dallas Mavericks:
"A Dr. J basketball hoop. I was just starting to play and Dr. J was the best."
Steve Francis, Houston Rockets:
"Back in about 1991 I got a Raiders jacket which was probably one of the best gifts I've received."
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves:
"An African animal chess set."
Horace Grant, L.A. Lakers:
"My health."
Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons:
"A Michael Jackson doll with the 'Beat It' jacket."
Lucious Harris, New Jersey Nets:
"A bicycle."
Jarvis Hayes, Washington Wizards:
"My favorite gift was my first remote control race track. I was about seven or eight. My parents gave it to [me and my twin brother]. We were real good at sharing, too!”
Jim Jackson, Houston Rockets:
"I got a Tyco ractrack with glow in the dark strips when I was about 10 years old."
Casey Jacobsen, Phoenix Suns:
"When I was seven years old, I got this pedal-bike tractor. I was totally obsessed with tractors. It was my own tractor I could drive around. My parents said I rode it everywhere every single day for six months straight, and then it got stolen. I didn’t get a new one. Maybe it was also one of my best presents because I didn’t have it for very long, so I love the fond memories of it ... My dad was a carpenter, so I also had all the little Tonka trucks, bulldozers and Bobcat tractors. I was obsessed with them."
Antawn Jamison, Dallas Mavericks:
"A Super Nintendo. I love video games and it was the best present ever. I could hardly wait to see it on Christmas morning!"
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Rip Hamilton's favorite MJ as a kid wasn't necessarily Michael Jordan.
Allen Einstein NBAE/Getty Images |
"My favorite gift was probably rollerblades. I'm a So-Cal dude."
Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets:
"My first bike."
Tyronn Lue, Orlando Magic:
"Back when they first came out, my mom got me a portable CD player. No one knew I had one or even knew what it was back then."
Karl Malone, L.A. Lakers:
"My health."
Aaron McKie, Philadelphia 76ers:
"When I was nine or 10, I got a Tyco racing-car set."
Cuttino Mobley, Houston Rockets:
"When I was 10 I got a drum set. That was cool."
Dikembe Mutombo, New York Knicks:
"My family was very poor, so on Christmas my father would gather the 10 children around and tell us stories of his life. So my favorite Christmas present is my father's advice."
Steve Nash, Dallas Mavericks:
"A pair of Air Jordans. They were the coolest shoes to play in; I was so excited to get them."
Jannero Pargo, L.A. Lakers:
"A computer."
Kareem Rush, L.A. Lakers:
"My first Nintendo."
Bryon Russell, L.A. Lakers:
"Just seeing my kids open their presents and get everything they wanted."
Latrell Sprewell, Minnesota Timberwolves:
"A remote-control car."
Wally Szczerbiak, Minnesota Timberwolves:
"A Nintendo."
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat:
"A Nintendo 64."
Rasheed Wallace, Portland Trail Blazers:
"I don't remember what year it was, but the best Christmas was when my mom bought me four G.I. Joe figures. Those were my prize possessions for years. I could probably still find them. In fact ..."
Rodney White, Denver Nuggets:
"The year I got the (Teenage Mutant) Ninja Turtles. I didn't think my mom was going to get them for me. She didn't like me playing with any kind of violent toys so I was really surprised. I got the whole set. I also remember getting a Big Wheel one year."
Aaron Williams, New Jersey Nets:
"A race track and a remote-control car."
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