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Editor’s note: This story — under the headline, "'Now I'm more in control—but I know a lot of people won't believe that'" — was published in the December 7, 2009 issue of Sporting News magazine.
From a condo-turned recording studio on a residential street in Hollywood, Ron Artest is fighting for survival in the music business. Seated at his mixing board, he shares a glimpse of the self-produced video for his new song “Afghan Women.” It’s different—perhaps, like Artest himself, kind of out there. Set against images of the effects of extreme violence, it's also undeniably sincere.
I wish that I was there so you can feel me
Run my fingers through your hair
Brush your face, just to show you that I care.
Artest has been trying for many years, without much success, to make it as a rapper. It could be argued that the 30-year-old Lakers forward has failed for even longer to truly make it as an NBA star. Now with his fifth NBA team, the 2003-04 All-Star and league defensive player of the year is the owner of one of basketball’s most controversial resumes—which includes two ejections during the 2009 Western Conference semifinals and the central role in the 2004 brawl in Detroit that lives in everlasting infamy.
In his 11th season since leaving St. John’s as a first-round pick of the Bulls, Artest has a golden opportunity to become a champion. His hard-nosed and deeply emotional approach to the game, born in the projects of Queens, New York, could be just what the Lakers need. It also could be their—and his—undoing. Artest bared all in an interview with Sporting News’ Steve Greenberg.
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SN: What does music do for you that basketball doesn’t?
ARTEST: In music, I can have my own ego, whether it’s good, bad, selfish, whatever it may be. I can have an outlet where I can be egotistical, so on the court I can do everything it takes for the team to win. It’s kind of like therapy for me.
SN: Do you spend time on music and other pursuits that you should be spending on your game?
ARTEST: Oh, man, I’m trying to find that line. The thing that’s suffering most out of everything I’m doing is my kids, my wife, because (since signing with the Lakers in July) I haven’t seen my kids a lot. Usually, I’m taking them to camps and stuff, but I’ve been so busy. It’s not my character to be like that, but I haven’t really seen my kids. That’s real tough. But the basketball isn’t suffering because I work really hard. I work on my game, on my conditioning, on my body—all the time. And when I finish practice, I always make sure at night I get my sleep so I’m rested up. And when I get a chance, I’ll take some meetings and work on my music, reality shows, all I’m trying to do. It’s all spread out so I’m not overwhelmed by anything.
SN: Where do you crave success more—on the court or off the court?
ARTEST: I always say both, but I always somehow go back to basketball. I love basketball. It’s harder to me than music, although music is very hard—I’ve yet to have a hit, and I’ve been doing music for 10 years. I’ve yet to have a successful album. But I still say basketball is harder. Getting your body in shape, getting your game ready; you’ve got to be able to react when you’re tired as if you had all your energy, have to be able to knock down shots and get stops when your legs aren’t working anymore. That’s what I love about basketball, the physical challenge.
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SN: Who’s the best basketball player in the world?
ARTEST: Well, because I’m on Kobe’s team, I have to say Kobe. I love Kobe. When I was playing against him—when I was the man on my team—I’d always say I was the best. But now that I’m on Kobe’s team, I’m not going to say I’m the best. Kobe’s the best.
SN: Do you see yourself as being a member of his supporting cast?
ARTEST: Definitely. I love playing under him as a captain, a general. I enjoy being a soldier for him. … (But) it’s weird because people don’t think about the whole basketball game. There’s offense: Kobe averages 30 and is a great offensive player. Then you have defense. So on defense, now I have my supporting cast. Selfishly, I get to be the man. People say I’m not a first option, but they forget there are two sides to basketball. I have to play offense, and I have to play defense. I’m one of the best defenders to ever play basketball, so I’m still the first option on defense.
SN: Does he see it that way, too? He’s a mainstay on the league’s all-defensive team.
ARTEST: I think he’s surprised now that he’s seeing me every day. He’s surprised, like, Wow, this guy can really play. … And he’s making me better. I have five years on my deal. If I had two years or one year on my deal and went to another team, I would probably be in the race for MVP from what I’ve (learned) from him.
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SN: Where do you fit into the Lakers hierarchy? If Bryant is No. 1, who is No. 2?
ARTEST: Pau Gasol is No. 2. He still is. Gasol and (Andrew) Bynum, and then the rest of us. I think even if we play together the next couple of years, that’s how it will be. The rest of us just keep it together.
SN: What’s your impression of Phil Jackson?
ARTEST: He’s different. He knows what he has, knows he’s a great coach, knows the organization trusts him. And he’s in total control—a real aggressive, sort of like psychotic control because you don’t know what he’s thinking. It’s like in his mind he wants to win, and he’ll do anything it takes to win. I never played for anybody like that.
SN: How confident are you that the Lakers will win the championship this season?
ARTEST: We all want to win, and the great thing is that we can follow our leader, Kobe. There are different approaches for different teams. In San Antonio, they might come out publicly and say, “We’re just going to try to win” and be real respectful toward other teams. In Boston, they just say, “We’re going to kill every team.” (Laughs) You know? Over here, we say we want to win. We don’t disrespect anybody. When I had my own teams, in Sacramento and Houston, I’d say, “We’re going to win. We’re going to be the best.” I was doing it different. When you go to a new team, a new leader, you’ve got to see how he is. I’m not going to say we’re going to win if that’s not Kobe’s style.
SN: If you don’t win it, do you think people will point to the free agency switch from Trevor Ariza to you?
ARTEST: I’m not sure. My first plan is to win. I really can’t see us not winning.
SN: Are you a better player than Ariza? And are you better for the Lakers?
ARTEST: I really don’t understand why people compare me to him, or try. With what I’ve done in this league already, I mean, seriously? He’s 24—I was defensive player of the year averaging 18 points a game by the time I was 24, playing with (one guy) getting the ball more than me. Shutting guys down. … When people compare me to Ariza, I’m like, “Wow.” I think it’s the hype behind (a championship). Now, can they say is he a better teammate than me? That’s something I don’t know. Does he complement better? That’s different. I can’t answer that. Individually, I just don’t see it.
SN: Why did your old team, the Rockets, want him?
ARTEST: I don’t know. They wanted to probably try to keep me first. They wanted me to stay there. But I’m the type of guy, if I want $15 million a year and you offer me 12, I’m taking six from another team because I feel insulted. … I didn’t even bother to read (Houston’s) offer. I know the type of guy I am. If I’m there and not getting what I wanted, I could take it personal. So rather than be upset because I didn’t get what I wanted, I’d rather go somewhere else and be happy.
SN: Why would four teams let you get away?
ARTEST: It was all my fault. The first team, in Chicago, I was a head case. I worked really hard but still had this ghetto thing in me that I could not get out, so I forced them to get rid of me. They wanted to keep me, but it was such a (expletive) they had to get rid of me. There was nothing they could do. I would’ve probably finished my career in Chicago. I look back and wish it would’ve happened because that would’ve meant I had a great career. But I was not a stable person at all.
SN: Just not ready for the life of an NBA player?
ARTEST: I used to drink Hennessy during the games, at halftime. I used to curse out people in the organization who I was mad at.
SN: You stashed booze in your locker?
ARTEST: Yes. I’d just walk to the liquor store (near the stadium) and get it. So it wasn’t that the Bulls didn’t want me. And we were losing—losing all those games made me unstable. And then I got to Indiana. I could’ve stayed at Indiana my whole career, but I said I wanted to be traded. I was getting more stable, but I was still unstable and I was a bad teammate. They couldn't keep me. They had to get rid of me.
SN: Did you take a step forward in Sacramento, proving you could excel there after everybody figured you didn’t want to go
ARTEST: I turned it around in Sacramento. I could’ve stayed there. People don't know that. When I was coming up for my extension (in 2008), they didn’t want to give me what I wanted ... (so) I said just trade me. I didn’t want to be upset; I’d rather take less and be happy than take more and still feel bad. So I went to Houston. I could’ve stayed in Houston, but I decided to leave. The ball was in my court the whole time.
SN: Was it all about money? Self-worth?
ARTEST: Money and respect. Money and then being the best on the basketball court. I just got crazy trying to do both. At the end my game was pretty decent—I was one of the better players in the league. But I didn’t know how to handle it any other way. I just didn’t know.
SN: Should Lakers fans be guarded with you—like it’s only a matter of time before this guy is gone?
ARTEST: I think everybody should get to know me, not just Lakers fans. That’s the type of person I am. But I don’t think people should sing my praises right away because I haven’t done anything. I need to prove something. People get attached to my personality every city I go to. I haven’t even won anything and it’s, “We love you, we love you.” I’m trying to figure out why that is. I’m not even a champion. What did I do?
SN: Are you one false move—by you or someone else—from trouble with your new team?
ARTEST: I’m more in control now. (Before) I really didn’t care. That’s how I grew up: Whatever happens, happens, and I’ll survive anyway. I always wanted to prove to people that I could survive. At one time I wanted to quit the NBA or take a leave of absence, right after the brawl. I wanted to prove to people—and myself—that I could go to school, get a degree, suffer and be better for it. You know? Then I was like, What the hell was I thinking? (Laughs) Now I’m more in control. But I know a lot of people won’t believe that yet.
SN: Your series against the Lakers last postseason in the Western Conference semifinals was volatile and controversial. What did you do wrong? And were you mistreated in any way by the refs and the league?
ARTEST: I thought for the Houston Rockets, we would have probably won the championship last year. I don't know what would have happened, but they ejected me (from Game 2) with 7 minutes left and we were only down 10. And I didn't even start it; Kobe started it. ... (Referee) Joey Crawford basically just said: Who cares about the Houston Rockets? Kobe Bryant is on the floor.
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SN: If you ruled the NBA, what would change?
ARTEST: The only thing players in the NBA are a little bit skeptical about is referees.
SN: How do you think David Stern sees you?
ARTEST: At first I thought David Stern didn’t like black people. But after I got called up to his office (in 2004), his whole office was damn near black. After that, I thought he didn’t like people from the ghetto. I had all these preconceived notions of David Stern, didn’t know how to read him. After the brawl, I felt all bad things about him. It was not my fault. … I’m still kind of a little bit salty with him. I’m kind of over it, but that’s the man who made the decision not to have me back in the NBA. I lost a lot of money. Some people tell me at the office that he likes me. He does call me once a year to see how I’m doing, which is nice of him.
SN: You say the brawl wasn’t your fault. It’s true you walked away from fighting Ben Wallace, were hit by a cup thrown from the stands and punched a fan who came at you first on the court. But what could you have done to prevent it from escalating?
ARTEST: I don't see anything I could have done different. The only thing I could have done was have God pause time so I could have said, "Oh, look, you're about to run in some stands, so stop."
SN: Have you ever spoken with Wallace about it? Did he feel responsible at all?
ARTEST: I don't know how he felt. He should have felt (expletive). It wasn't even a hard foul. It was a baby foul, basically. A soft, baby foul. ... He was just so (mad) because they lost that game and he took it to a whole other level. I wasn't in the mood to fight. So now I see Ben, I'm on my guard now. I'm always in the mood to fight him if he wants to fight. If I fight him, I'll get suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I'll just fight him right there. It won't go into the stands.
SN: How will your 30s be different from your 20s?
ARTEST: I'm a better father. When I was a 19-year-old father, whew. I was a single pimp! I was wild. A lot of marijuana and alcohol—even before (that age). Now I smell marijuana, I get sick; it makes me nauseous. If I'm around too much alcohol, I get nauseous, especially if it's a constant thing and people want to party all day. I party and I have fun, but not like I used to. I used to drink every night and party every night, and now I just want to set up things for my kids.
SN: How is your life different from what you envisioned as a kid?
ARTEST: I thought I would be a math teacher. Working school, that was my goal before the NBA. I wanted to be a junior high math teacher, and I would have been so happy.
SN: Did you always see yourself doing something good?
ARTEST: I guess at a certain age I wanted to sell drugs. I saw it a lot. In my family, I thought it was normal. You see people with this white rock in their hand, they're making the money; you see your cousins. I can sell this and just make money? But then it's like, Oh my goodness, look how the person looks who's taking the (expletive) drug. It got scary. People dying from this, shootouts, all this craziness, and I'm actually living in this—I'm living right in this (expletive) I don't want to be in. ... I had crack in my hand one time. I didn't even sell it; I just gave it to the fiend and I didn't even want the money. I said, "Man, I don't even want to do this." I was 13 years old.
SN: Your father, Ron Sr., was an amateur boxer. Could you have been a boxer?
ARTEST: I thought I could have. I started training two years ago. In four years, I’m going to try to have my first fight.
SN: You can’t fight while you’re playing basketball. Would you retire to fight?
ARTEST: When my contract is up, I really want to. I was supposed to train with Angelo Dundee a couple years ago, but then I didn’t do it. I have a couple of trainers now. Hopefully, I can train with Freddie Roach a little bit this summer.
SN: What would be the goal?
ARTEST: If I get knocked out, I ain’t boxing no more. Just three or four fights, that’s it, just to say I did it.
SN: Is L.A. going to be good for you or bad for you?
ARTEST: It’s perfect timing right now. There’s no other place for me to go. I get to play with a team that wants to win. I can work hard. It’s like an end-of-my-story kind of thing. Phil Jackson is my favorite coach ever. The Jackson-coached Chicago Bulls were my favorite team. We can be just like that Chicago Bulls team. And I’ve got my foundation; I’m trying to get scholarships for kids, and now I’m in a market where I can do events and raise money for the kids. And my music; if I’m able to come out with that album, the fan base is so huge for the Lakers. I’ve done shows in L.A. and had a bunch of fans going crazy—and I don’t even have a single on the radio. It’s all possible because I’m a Laker.
SN: What do you have to do on the court to keep those doors from closing?
ARTEST: I don’t think about it like that because if I did I would say “OK, let me average 20 points”—which I can. But if I average 20 and Kobe’s averaging 30 and Gasol’s going to be averaging 20, where does that leave my other teammates? So I want to share everything. I had five points (in a recent game) and was fine with that. But five points is not going to help anybody sell a rap album. Maybe that’s where I’ve grown up a little, not thinking about myself as much as I used to.
SN: Do you trust yourself?
ARTEST: I don’t know. Somebody could elbow me in the ribs, and I might smack him in the face. The other day, somebody elbowed me, but I didn’t do anything; I went to the referee and asked him to control it. So I’ve grown from that standpoint. But somebody can smack me in the face once—and smack me twice and I’m smacking him. I’m destroying him.
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