Gilbert Arenas is a guy who's hungry to succeed, a guy who at times in his basketball career has been told he's not good enough. So says Ernie Grunfeld, the Washington Wizards' president of basketball operations.

"I think Gilbert does have a chip on his shoulder," Grunfeld said yesterday during a conference call. "Everyone always sells him short. He's a very competitive person. He likes to play, he likes to compete, and these are the kinds of players you want around."

It was the first time the Wizards addressed Arenas's signing since it became official at midnight Thursday. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard signed an offer sheet for a six-year, $64 million deal in July, but had to wait the mandatory 15-day period to see if his old team, Golden State, would match the offer. The Warriors could not, and Arenas chose Washington over several other teams, including Miami and Utah.

The Wizards plan to bring the 21-year-old Arenas to Washington later this month.

"Physically, he has all the tools," Grunfeld said. "He's a very athletic player, extremely quick in the open court, and he can knock down shots."

Grunfeld said Arenas's age contributed to the Wizards' interest in the player.

"He fits in very well with our long-range plan," Grunfeld said. "He liked the opportunity here, to play with Coach [Eddie] Jordan, to become the corps of something special that can win and become a playoff contender for years to come."