Ron Artest

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Ron Artest

Ron Artest's mug shot, taken by the Placer County Sheriff's Dept. in 2007.
Position	Small forward/Shooting guard
Nickname	Ron Ron
Height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Team	Sacramento Kings
Nationality	Template:Country data black
Born	November 13, 1979 (age 27) Queensbridge, New York
College	St. John's
Draft	16th overall, 1999 Chicago Bulls
Pro career	1999–present
Former teams	Chicago Bulls (1999–2002) Indiana Pacers (2002–2006)
Awards	2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2004 NBA All-Star

Ronald (Ron) William Artest, Jr. (born November 13, 1979) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays with the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. Artest gained reputation as one of the premier defenders in the game today, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004. However, he is one of the most controversial players and infamously known for being the key central figure of the 2004 Pacers-Pistons brawl.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Pacers-Pistons brawl 3 Aftermath and trade 4 Sacramento Kings 5 Endorsements 6 Quotes 7 Albums 8 Trivia 9 External links 10 References

[edit] Early life

Artest was born in 1979 and raised in the Queensbridge Projects in Long Island City, New York. He played high school basketball at La Salle Academy. He played college basketball at St. John's University, and was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 16th pick of the 1999 NBA Draft. Upon being selected, Artest began to cry, explaining to TNT that his tears were tears of pure joy. In 2002, Artest was traded by the Bulls to the Pacers, along with Ron Mercer, Brad Miller, and Kevin Ollie, in exchange for Jalen Rose, Travis Best, Norman Richardson, and a second-round draft pick. He is noted as being one of the best defensive players in basketball today, and was voted the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for the 2003-04 season.

In spite of his abilities, he has been the subject of much controversy. During his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, he was subject to criticism for applying for a job at Circuit City, just to get an employee discount. He once attended an Indiana Pacers practice in a bath robe. He was suspended for two games in the early 2004-05 season by Pacers coach Rick Carlisle after he allegedly asked for a month off because he was tired from promoting an R&B album for the group Allure on his production label. Artest had also been suspended for three games in 2003 for destroying a television camera in Madison Square Garden, New York City, and for four games for a confrontation with Miami Heat coach Pat Riley in 2003. Seemingly embracing his controversial bad-boy status, he changed his uniform number at the start of the 2004-05 season. In past seasons with Indiana, he had worn the number 23 in tribute to NBA legend Michael Jordan. He has also been suspended several times for excessive flagrant fouls. For the 2004-05 season he wore the number 91; a tribute to former multiple Defensive Player of the Year award winner Dennis Rodman, another controversial basketball player from the late 1980s and early 90s. After being suspended for the remainder of the season due to his involvement in the so-called "malice at the Palace", Artest reverted his number back to the original he wore for the majority of his basketball life, #15 (though he switched to number 93 after being traded to the Sacramento Kings).

[edit] Pacers-Pistons brawl

Main article: Pacers-Pistons brawl

On November 19, 2004, Artest took center stage in arguably the most infamous brawl in professional sports history.

The game took place in Auburn Hills, Michigan between Artest's Pacers and the home team Detroit Pistons. The brawl began when Artest fouled Pistons center Ben Wallace as Wallace was putting up a shot. He responded by shoving Artest, leading to an altercation near the scorer's table. Artest walked to the sideline and lay down on the scorer's table, while mocking Wallace. Wallace then threw a towel at Artest while he pretended to give a radio interview at the scorer's table. Reacting to Wallace throwing something at Artest, John Green threw a cup of beer at Artest, hitting him. Artest jumped into the front-row seats and confronted a man he believed to be responsible (who turned out to be the wrong man), which in turn erupted into a brawl between Pistons fans and several of the Pacers. Artest returned to the basketball court, and punched Pistons fan A.J. Shackleford, who was apparently taunting Artest verbally.^[1][2] This fight resulted in the game being stopped with less than a minute remaining. Artest and two teammates were suspended indefinitely the day after the game, along with Wallace.

On November 21, the NBA announced that Artest would be suspended for the remainder of the season (73 games plus playoff appearances). This is the longest non-drug or betting related suspension in NBA history. Eight other players (four Pacers and four Pistons) received suspensions, without pay, that ranged from one to thirty games in length. Each of the Pacers players involved were levied fines and ordered to do community service. Several fans were also charged and were barred from attending any events at the Palace for life. Artest lost approximately $5 million in salary due to the suspension. Shortly after the brawl Artest announced to ESPN, that he would like to get in the boxing ring with Ben Wallace.

[edit] Aftermath and trade

Early in the 2005-06 season, Artest requested a trade from the Indiana Pacers and was put on the team's inactive roster. Artest's call for a trade created a rift between him and his teammates. "We felt betrayed, a little disrespected," teammate Jermaine O'Neal said. As for their basketball relationship, O'Neal said: "The business relationship is over. That's fact." Pacers president Larry Bird said he also felt “betrayed” and “disappointed”.^[3]

On January 24, 2006, reports from NBA sources confirmed that the Sacramento Kings had agreed to trade Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers for Artest. However, before the trade could be completed, many press outlets reported that Artest had informed team management that he did not want to go to Sacramento. According to Ron Artest's agent, his original trade request was only made because he was upset when he heard rumors that the Pacers were going to trade him to Sacramento for Stojakovic early in the season. While not denying his agent's story, Artest did deny that he had rejected the trade to the City of Trees, saying that he would play anywhere; hence, contradicting earlier press accounts stating Artest was holding up the trade. Given conflicting accounts, it is unclear why the trade was delayed, but it was nevertheless completed on January 25 and Artest was officially sent to the Kings for Stojakovic.

Artest gained more attention when he, fully clothed, graced the cover of Penthouse magazine, along with three near-naked models.

On November 16, 2006, website The Smoking Gun obtained testimony from Matt Dobek, VP of Public Relations for the Detroit Pistons claiming what helped trigger the brawl was Artest saying to Ben Wallace "you can suck my balls".^[1]

[edit] Sacramento Kings

Though traded midseason to the Kings franchise, Artest quickly found his place on the team by providing some much needed defense.^{[citation needed]} Though many feared his abrasive personality would be a problem, he worked well with his teammates and then coach Rick Adelman. Since acquiring Artest in late January 2006, the team immediately went on a 14-5 run, the team's best run of the season. The Kings broke .500 and landed the eighth spot in the Western Conference. This prompted ESPN to declare that "Ron Artest has breathed new life in the Sacramento Kings and enhanced their chances of reaching the playoffs." ^[4] Fox Sports proclaimed, "Artest has Kings back in playoff hunt". ^[5]

He was suspended for Game 2 of the team's first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs following a flagrant foul (elbow to the head) on Manu Ginobili. The Kings eventually were eliminated from the playoffs in six games.

After the playoffs, Artest offered to donate his entire salary to keep teammate Bonzi Wells with the team, who became a free agent after the 2005-06 NBA season. He even jokingly threatened to kill Wells if he did not re-sign with the Kings. ^[6] Wells was later picked up by the Houston Rockets. Artest also offered to donate his salary to retain the services of head coach Rick Adelman, whose contract expired after the same season. Adelman and the Kings did not agree on a contract extension so the two parted ways.

In mid-August 2006, Artest completed some of his community service requirements by lecturing a group of Detroit-area children. However, criticism was made when Ron Artest continued to defend his actions and brought up his troubled past, mentioning that he had been selling cocaine after his parents divorced at the age of 13.

In the 2006-07 season, Artest has been indicating that he would like to get traded from Sacramento, noting Mike Bibby's recent struggles, and not seeing eye to eye to new coach Eric Musselman. The leading team in the Artest sweepstakes was believed to be the Los Angeles Clippers, with recent rumors indicating that the Kings might trade Ron Artest, for swingman Corey Maggette. However, Los Angeles Clippers GM Elgin Baylor has since been quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying, "As far as anything goes with Ron Artest, that's a dead issue," Baylor said. "We're no longer talking to Sacramento about Artest ... that's not going to happen."

According to a Placer County report obtained by the Sacramento Bee, on January 30, 2007, Animal Services officers issued a "pre-seizure" notice to Artest regarding suspicions that a dog at his home in Loomis was not receiving adequate food. On February 5, officers returned and seized Socks, a black female Great Dane, removing her into protective custody with a local veterinarian. The seizure action cited a law that requires animal caretakers to "provide proper sustenance." Artest later sent an email to the Bee, writing "I'm glad to say all problems are solved now, and I'm looking forward to getting my dog back." The animal remains in custody as of February 7.^[2] In a phone conversation with a reporter from local TV news channel CBS13, Artest said he had gotten rid of all his dogs because he wasn't able to take care of them.^[3]

On March 5, 2007,^[4] Ron Artest was arrested for domestic abuse, and was excused from the Sacramento Kings by GM Geoff Petrie until he's ready to come back. On March 10th, The Kings announced that Artest would return to his team while his case is being reviewed by the Placer County District Attorney.

[edit] Endorsements

Ron Artest is the only NBA player endorsed by the German brand k1x.^[5]

[edit] Quotes

• In regards to medication for his behavior Artest said, "I've never taken medication (to control moods) in my life. Doctors have suggested it and I say, 'OK, give it to me.' But then I go home and I throw it in the garbage."^{[citation needed]}
• On the All-Star game; "They better not put me in the All-Star Game. I won't shoot, but I'll dominate that easy game. I'll be playing hard defense. I'll be foulin'. I'll be flagrant fouling. Everyone will be like, 'What are you doing?'" ^[7]
• In regards to Bonzi Wells' free agent status and re-signing with the Sacramento Kings, Ron said, "[Bonzi] called me last week. I told him if he leaves, then I'm going to kill him. Unless he wants to die, he's got to stay (with the Kings)."^[6]

[edit] Albums

Artest released a rap album entitled My World on October 31, 2006. The album was a commercial failure, selling only 343 copies in its opening week.^[7] In comparison it sold 6,000 fewer copies than Kevin Federline's album Playing With Fire, which was also a noted failure and debuted the same week.^[8]

[edit] Trivia

• Ron Artest's father is a bouncer at Pastis, a restaurant/bar in Manhattan. [8]
• Artest has 2 younger brothers, Isaiah and Daniel. [9]
• Artest is the fourth of nine children.^{[citation needed]}
• Teamed with Elton Brand and Lamar Odom on the same AAU team as a teenager [10]
• Artest wears the number 93 with Sacramento because he says it represents the Queensbridge projects where he grew up, with the "9" representing the "Q" in Queens and the "3" representing the "B" in Bridge.^{[citation needed]}
• Artest wears the number 93, due to the song 93 til infinity. The rap song by the Souls of Mischief in the early 90's.
• Artest appeared in rapper T-Bone's video for the song "Can I Live" and in Nas' video for "Nas is Like".
• Artest first appeared on stage on September 22, 2006 in Assembly Hall, Champaign, Illinois

[edit] External links

• Ron Artest official page
• Arrest Information
• Ron Artest @ NBA.com
• Career Statistics
• Ron Artest: The Next MC Outta Queensbridge?
• Ron Artest's MySpace
• Interview at Andpop

[edit] References