Artest’s Last Stand

You don’t have say Ron Artest is angry. His actions speak louder than words.

After taking the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals and winning the Defensive Player of the Year, the former St. John’s star, who appeared to have harnessed his intensity, had possibly the brightest future of any player in the NBA. Artest had been without an outburst for the entire post-season. Then a flagrant foul in game 6 cost the Pacers the series, when Artest elbowed Pistons shooting guard Rip Hamilton while backing him down.

Artest was able to avoid trouble in the off-season, and any noise he made was overshadowed by the Kobe-Shaq soap opera. But early this season, Artest was benched and used the time to promote his rap album. Artest went as far as to say he would retire if the Pacers won the NBA finals.

In his first game back Artest scored 40 points and carried the Pacers to victory. Artest’s previous problems seem to have been forgiven, but in Auburn Hills, Michigan, the same place he flagrantly fouled Rip Hamilton, he lost it. Whether he forgot to take his pills or he played too much Grand Theft Auto, he was evidently worked up. With 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter, he was defending Ben Wallace under the basket when Wallace felt Artest was being too physical. Big Ben pushed Artest half-way across the court. Artest clearly had very little interest in starting anything with the 6’9” center. The ensuring bru-ha-ha was the worst in the history of American Sports.

Artest went over to the scorer’s table to lay down when a drink was thrown on him from the stands. Artest promptly sat up in a rage and charged into the stands, running by the intoxicated fan who actually threw the drink and began pounding an innocent by-stander. When they finally plucked Artest from the stands, he began fighting with another fan who was on the court. That spectator thought he was safe when Artest was pulled off him, but 6’11” Jermaine O’Neil came flying in and knocked the man to the floor. As Artest, O’Neil, and third culprit Stephen Jackson were escorted out by Pacer officials and law enforcement, a flurry of liquid rained down on them from the angry Piston fans.

The next Monday, NBA Commissioner David Stern handed out the suspensions. The three major ones were O’Neil -25 games, Jackson -30, but Artest’s season long banishment ensured he will have plenty of time to promote his CDs.

It’s tragic to see a great player end a season like this, especially when it may be the last season of his brief career. Whether this changes the Fan-Player relationship, Ron Artest, the troubled, talented kid from New York, has cemented his position in sports history.