by Kent Sterling

Ron Artest got what we wanted when he signed with the LA Lakers – a championship ring.  He could have gotten more money out of another team, but wants to win more than cash even more giant checks.

Back in 2003, when Artest was with the Indiana Pacers, he sat down with GM Donnie Walsh and his agent to talk about a contract extension.  He had been in the NBA for four seasons, and was a completely unique physical player.  Tall, strong, and athletic, the believe was that if Artest could get his brain to function like his body, he would be a top-10 player.

Both his agent and Walsh advised him to not sign the extension.  The six-year, $40-million dollar deal would delay his ability to make max money by three years.  While he could make a lot of money now, he could make much more if he exercised some patience.  As Walsh and the agent, rarely on the same side of an argument continued to make their case, Artest again and again rebutted with only three words – “Forty million dollars”.

Finally, Walsh and the agent quit and let Artest sign.  When that story was first told to me, I thought Artest might just be the most logical man in the world.  Someone offers $40-million today or $80-million starting in three years, I’m taking the $40-million too.  In the world of big business, that is seen as idiocy.  In the world Artest came from, it’s a permanent way out of poverty not only for Artest but his family and friends.

Thursday night after the Lakers won game seven and the 2010 NBA Championship, reporters had the strangely awkward opportunity to fling microphones in the face of Artest.  There is something odd about getting audio from a guy who might say anything, and that is what Artest does.  Whatever need most of us have for making trite and predictable comments when dealing with the media, Artest does not acknowledge.  He says what pops into his brain at that moment, and holds nothing back.

Watch the video below, and tell me this is not one of the most likable people in sports.

Prior to the postgame presser, Artest thanked his psychiatrist.  Other than Woody Allen, I don’t know of anyone who celebrates their need to see a psychiatrist.  This person obviously helped Artest, and he thanked him or her without any regard for people inferring that he has a screw loose.  Artest also announced that he has a new rap single coming out called “Champion”.

Artest also mentioned the way he let down his Pacers teammates when he walked away from the team in the ’05’06 season, ” I was so young, so egotistical, and I bailed out on Donnie [Walsh], Larry [Bird], Jermaine [O'Neal], [Jamaal] Tinsley, [Jeff] Foster, who never bails out, he just fights for you, for his team. Stephen Jackson, who already had a ring, continued to fight for us, etc. I sometimes feel like a coward when I see those guys because it’s like, man, I’m on the Lakers and I had a chance to win with you guys, and I almost feel like a coward. I never thought God would put me in this situation again because of that.”

It’s also interesting of not necessarily important to note that Artest applied for a job at a Chicago electronics store during his rookie season so he would be eligible for an employee discount, admitted to drinking Hennessy at halftime of games when he was with the Bulls, and says he is always in a mood to fight Ben Wallace and will gladly accept a 10-15 game suspension for doing it.

There is no one in sports like Artest, and that might be too narrow.  There might not be anyone like Artest in the world, at least not among those who have access to a mass audience.  He is absolutely blunt and candid, and doesn’t care enough about his image to do any work to craft one.  At a time when we are all sick of Kobe with his hand against his cheek while his answers do nothing to enlighten, Artest should be embraced as a hero.

I had a talk with some AAU basketball players about dealing with the media at summer tournaments.  Kooks with websites were throwing microphones in the faces of our guys after games, and the kids were telling them the truth about things.  My message was simple, know what you want to communicate, say it, and then walk away.  Never treat the media as friends because they are anything but.  They are users and stalkers – especially at that level.

Artest would have looked at me like I was nuts, and gone off to say whatever popped into his head.  Artest’s way is much more interesting.