Every day, the Sha’Carri Richardson incident gets more polarizing. It’s even created a difference in opinion between Gilbert Arenas and his wife, Melli Monaco. The couple debated the situation on No Chill Gil this week, particularly Nike backing Richardson in the aftermath of her arrest. Now, Arenas had (and is going through) some legal drama of his own during his NBA career. It cost him a $40 million sponsorship. So he’s uniquely qualified to speak on a brand’s mindset in this situation.

We’ve seen in the Netflix documentary, Untold: Shooting Guards that Arenas doesn’t advocate for severe consequences on athletes after they’re apologetic. After her arrest, Richardson publicly apologized to her boyfriend, Christian Coleman. Amid this, Nike has continued to feature Richardson on the front page of their official website, promoting the Vomero Plus shoe.

Nike hasn’t openly commented, but Monaco asked her husband if he thinks there’s a “double standard” at play. “As they should,” is what Arenas says about Nike still sticking with Richardson.

Arenas states with a clear disclaimer, “Without being biased, I don’t think as a sponsor she did anything wrong for me to drop her as an athlete.” He further says, “Yes, it’s double standard to the fact that he is a man, so whatever she’s doing to him doesn’t phase him and it looked like it wasn’t phasing him.”

Last month, Richardson was arrested after an alleged domestic violence incident at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Olympian was seen arguing with Coleman, a world champion sprinter, after they got past security. Last week, she issued a public apology to her boyfriend.

“I apologize to Christian. He came into my life and gave me more than a relationship, but a greater understanding of unconditional love from what I’ve experienced in my past. Due to past trauma and pain,” A part of Richardson’s Instagram statement read. “I was blind and blocked off to not only receive it but give it. I love him, and to him I can’t apologize enough. My apologize (sic) should be just as loud as my actions honestly louder. To Christian, I love you and I am so sorry.”

Coleman also seemingly forgave her and refused to blame her. It hasn’t ended the commentary, though. Arenas has not been in a relationship drama of this kind. But he’s been in a similar spot.

Gilbert Arenas suffered consequences from a major sponsor

Melli Monaco acknowledged that Gilbert Arenas has been at a similar crossroads. Arenas was in the prime of his career with the Washington Wizards when he got into an unsavory situation with teammate Javaris Crittenton. To recap what Shooting Guards covered, the duo got guns to the locker room, word got out, they were suspended, they were tried on felony gun charges, and the trajectories of their careers changed.

Crittenton’s NBA career was pretty much over after his situation snowballed. Arenas rebranded from Agent Zero to #9. Gil’s NBA career continued. He, however, lost his $40 million contract with Adidas while serving his suspension.

Nike has previously terminated contracts with Kyrie Irving and Michael Vick after controversies. But it has remained quiet on Sha’Carri. Arenas says that there is a double standard where, if Coleman reacted poorly in that situation, he’d lose his sponsorships.

“If he would have reacted, gave her any type of shove or push, yeah, he would have lost his sponsors, but that’s, that’s the risk that he has to take. Well, the fact that they’re both athletes and in the public eye, I mean, I think that she put him in a bad spot because if he did react, he would be in jail, under the jail, losing everything for something that she was the aggressor of,” Arenas said despite his wife’s disagreement on the matter.

Monaco believes that Richardson should be held to the same standard Coleman would’ve been held to. But that’s a ‘what-if.’ As Arenas says, “None of that happened. So, that’s not even a question.” Their debate was inconclusive. And after what he’s experienced himself, you can’t change No Chil Gil’s mind on this matter.