Ex-NBA Star 'Welcome Back Any Time' To OC Fair After Crushing Basket-Shooting Game
COSTA MESA (CBSLA.com) — Turns out being a former NBA All-Star isn't enough to disqualify someone from a basketball game at the OC Fair.
Ex-Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is still "welcome back" to the fair "any time" after he racked up more than a dozen prizes at one of the fair's carnival attractions, officials said Tuesday.
All told, Arenas racked up 15 prizes - the fair's limit - while visiting the OC Fair on Sunday after not having played a minute in the NBA in almost four years.
A photo posted Monday to his Instagram account showed Arenas wearing an oversize, stuffed donut perched on his head as he posed for a picture with his children and the toys he won for them.
"We just got banned from all the basketball hoops at #orangecountyfair...every one screamed #theRimsarebent I screamed #hibachi", Arenas wrote.
RCS, the company that runs the carnival attractions, had invited Arenas to continue playing and try his hand at more prize, according to a spokesperson.
RCS has policy of one prize per day, and the fair has 15 basketball-shooting games, according to Robin Wachner, a spokeswoman for the fair.
Wachner said the company and other fair officials had no clue of Arenas' windfall until they saw reports on social media.
Chris Lopez, vice president of RCS, said it was all in good fun and that there is no policy prohibiting Arenas from returning.
"I'd say he looks pretty happy in the picture," said Lopez. "Makes me wonder how he got all that home. Mr. Arenas is welcome back to the OC Fair any time and that includes the basketball games."
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