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What's in Artest's future?
Arrest, injuries, retirement talk have made for a trying season
By Joe Davidson - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:10 am PDT Thursday, March 29, 2007
Ron Artest slumped in a chair with a look of fatigue. A long practice was behind him with an uncertain future ahead.
Uncertain on several fronts. Will the Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at Arco Arena to keep their faint playoff hopes alive? Will Artest's back hold up? The Kings' small forward has labored through stiffness, sometimes grimacing and waving to his coaches to be pulled out. He has admitted several times this season that he can't scurry over to certain spots on defense as quickly as he is used to, only to grimace as an opponent hits an open jumper.
And in a season of unpredictable drama, what's next? Artest being Artest, it's rarely just about basketball. Consider the weeks since the All-Star Game in mid-February:
Protesters have targeted Artest for being cited for dog negligence.
Fans have flooded talk radio or written letters to The Bee offering to drive him to the next state to drop him off after his arrest on domestic violence charges.
And the most recent bit of off-the-floor news was whether Artest even wanted to be on the floor anymore, as he text-messaged teammates that he was on the brink of retirement.
Artest cleared the air Monday, expressing a desire to return to the Kings and to continue to play. Artest wrote in an e-mail to The Bee that he mentioned retirement out of frustration of not being with his family.
He was in no mood to elaborate after practice Wednesday, especially with two media relations staffers monitoring each question and insisting queries be hoops-related.
"I've said enough comments (about the retirement talk) and I'd rather leave it at that; I don't want to get any words twisted," Artest said. "I'd rather not talk about that."
Wednesday marked the first time this week that he had been with his teammates since the Kings downed Phoenix on Sunday. He was in New York on Monday to meet with NBA security about his four misdemeanor counts of domestic violence (he pleaded not guilty to all four counts in a Placer County courtroom, though he was still issued a restraining order that stipulates he cannot get any closer than 100 yards of his family).
Artest did admit Wednesday that this has been his most trying season on several fronts. He hasn't been healthy, with sore knees and the troublesome back slowing or even sidelining him.
"I would have had a much better year if not for that," Artest said. "It's definitely limited me. Hopefully soon, I'll be back to normal."
Artest was asked if the fun of playing has been sucked out of him this season, be it from losses, his own undoing or his ailments.
"Basketball has always been what you call a sanctuary for me," he said. "That's probably not the right word. ... But anytime you play ball, you just think about ball. Every practice, you look forward to that, and the games and being around teammates and coaches, like a second family . ... It's been a tough year."
Kings coach Eric Musselman said he anticipates a typically active Artest on Friday night and the rest of the way. And for Artest, who promised a playoff run this season, he's not even close to reaching for the white flag.
"I'm definitely looking forward to finishing up the season strong," he said. "(The Phoenix game Sunday) was our most impressive win of the year. That's a good sign of us going in the right direction, being under the circumstance we've been in.
"You always see hope. I never give up. From the beginning of the season to the middle of the season to this point of the season, I have never given up. This team hasn't given up. It's not even about me. The whole team hasn't given up, the organization hasn't given up."
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
What's in Artest's future?
Arrest, injuries, retirement talk have made for a trying season
By Joe Davidson - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:10 am PDT Thursday, March 29, 2007
Ron Artest slumped in a chair with a look of fatigue. A long practice was behind him with an uncertain future ahead.
Uncertain on several fronts. Will the Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at Arco Arena to keep their faint playoff hopes alive? Will Artest's back hold up? The Kings' small forward has labored through stiffness, sometimes grimacing and waving to his coaches to be pulled out. He has admitted several times this season that he can't scurry over to certain spots on defense as quickly as he is used to, only to grimace as an opponent hits an open jumper.
And in a season of unpredictable drama, what's next? Artest being Artest, it's rarely just about basketball. Consider the weeks since the All-Star Game in mid-February:
Protesters have targeted Artest for being cited for dog negligence.
Fans have flooded talk radio or written letters to The Bee offering to drive him to the next state to drop him off after his arrest on domestic violence charges.
And the most recent bit of off-the-floor news was whether Artest even wanted to be on the floor anymore, as he text-messaged teammates that he was on the brink of retirement.
Artest cleared the air Monday, expressing a desire to return to the Kings and to continue to play. Artest wrote in an e-mail to The Bee that he mentioned retirement out of frustration of not being with his family.
He was in no mood to elaborate after practice Wednesday, especially with two media relations staffers monitoring each question and insisting queries be hoops-related.
"I've said enough comments (about the retirement talk) and I'd rather leave it at that; I don't want to get any words twisted," Artest said. "I'd rather not talk about that."
Wednesday marked the first time this week that he had been with his teammates since the Kings downed Phoenix on Sunday. He was in New York on Monday to meet with NBA security about his four misdemeanor counts of domestic violence (he pleaded not guilty to all four counts in a Placer County courtroom, though he was still issued a restraining order that stipulates he cannot get any closer than 100 yards of his family).
Artest did admit Wednesday that this has been his most trying season on several fronts. He hasn't been healthy, with sore knees and the troublesome back slowing or even sidelining him.
"I would have had a much better year if not for that," Artest said. "It's definitely limited me. Hopefully soon, I'll be back to normal."
Artest was asked if the fun of playing has been sucked out of him this season, be it from losses, his own undoing or his ailments.
"Basketball has always been what you call a sanctuary for me," he said. "That's probably not the right word. ... But anytime you play ball, you just think about ball. Every practice, you look forward to that, and the games and being around teammates and coaches, like a second family . ... It's been a tough year."
Kings coach Eric Musselman said he anticipates a typically active Artest on Friday night and the rest of the way. And for Artest, who promised a playoff run this season, he's not even close to reaching for the white flag.
"I'm definitely looking forward to finishing up the season strong," he said. "(The Phoenix game Sunday) was our most impressive win of the year. That's a good sign of us going in the right direction, being under the circumstance we've been in.
"You always see hope. I never give up. From the beginning of the season to the middle of the season to this point of the season, I have never given up. This team hasn't given up. It's not even about me. The whole team hasn't given up, the organization hasn't given up."
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
