Call Gilbert Arenas what you want. Gilly, Gil, Agent-Zero, he answers to all of those names. Just make sure that come February 18th you refer to him as an all-star starter, a well-deserved honor Arenas found about early on Thursday evening.

It wasn’t expected that Arenas - the best player on the Eastern Conference’s best team - was going to start in next month’s all-star game in Las Vegas. Just two weeks ago the California-native trailed New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter by 200,000 votes in a race for a starting-spot in the Eastern Conference back-court. 

The gap seemed too big for Arenas to close, and it was expected that despite his stellar play, the best number-zero in basketball history would be the East’s sixth-man. But that was a couple of game-winning shots at the buzzer and a plethora of eye-opening performances ago, and when the starters were announced today, Arenas was one of them.

Less that 3,500 votes separated Arenas and Carter for the starting nod, but the right player will get the start. There isn’t a more entertaining or enjoyable player to watch in basketball right now than Arenas, who’s second in the NBA in scoring and first on the Wizards in assists. The garrulous and jovial super-star is as much a joy to interact with in person as he is to watch loft three-balls on the hard-wood, and he’s just the type of player - and gentleman - the NBA needs to pattern itself after.

Arguably the game’s most prolific scorer and without question one of it’s most consistent performers, the one-time Arizona product has come a long way since being named the NBA’s “Most Improved Player” four-years ago. Arenas is averaging 30-points, six-assists, and five-rebounds a game, and he’s drained more shots in the final seconds of a period than any other player in basketball.

Arenas’ offensive-onslaughts night-after-night have become common-place. It’s almost as if anything less than a 30-point effort these days is considered a disappointing effort, probably because Washington’s most-dominant player in decades is un-coverable. At 6-4 and 215-pounds Arenas is one of the biggest point-guards in basketball, but he also possesses one of the game’s quickest first-steps. The only thing more lethal than his ability to beat defenders with penetration is his long-range shot and fluid shooting touch, a combination that keeps opposing coaches awake at night.

It would be one thing if Arenas came out of nowhere to become the player that we all marvel at each night, but that isn’t how it happened. He’s steadily improved season-after-season for each of the past four years, learning and maturing on both ends of the floor. The scary part about his development is that at 25, he may not be done improving yet.

It’s tough to say how much better someone with Arenas’ athleticism and ability can be, but none of that even matters right now. What does matter for the guard who has willed his team into first-place is that for the first-time in three-trips to the all-star game, Arenas will be on the court for tip-off.