http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cst-spt-artest09.html
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Kings certainly like what they see in 'new' Artest
[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]February 9, 2006
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BY JOHN JACKSON Staff Reporter[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]New Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest raised quite a few eyebrows during his introductory news conference with the local media 10 days ago. But it wasn't any of his infamous antics that drew the reaction. Rather, it was his vow to be ... normal.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''It's going to be a different Ron Artest in Sacramento, one that is all about basketball,'' he said. ''Before, I was doing music. I'll let that take a back seat now and put basketball first and do things that are not controversial or a distraction to my team.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]So far, Artest has been true to his word. He has been all about basketball and instantly has become the on-court leader of a new-look Kings team.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In six games with Sacramento, Artest is averaging 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds. More importantly, he has gotten the Kings to focus on the defensive end of the court and about doing whatever it takes to win.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]He's also taken a few of the team's young players, including rookie Francisco Garcia, under his wing and stressed to them the importance of playing defense.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''Young guys need to be reminded of what it takes to be a good defensive player,'' Artest said. ''I just try to help out and tell guys what other guys told me when I came in the league.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Sacramento is Artest's third NBA team, and those who have dealt with him in the past are wondering when -- not if -- he'll have another episode. The Indiana Pacers and the Bulls, who drafted him in 1999, decided his obvious talent wasn't worth the baggage that came with it. But the Kings are gambling the 26-year-old finally will mature.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]For his part, Artest believes the trade to the Kings -- he was swapped straight up for Peja Stojakovic -- was exactly the fresh start he needs.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''As much as I loved it in Indiana, I felt a lot of frustration there,'' he said. ''Now I've got a lot of weight off my shoulders.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''Sac is different. The crowd is unbelievable. When I was in Indy, the crowd fed off me. Here, sometimes I wasn't even in the game, and they were going crazy.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]So why did he initially resist the trade when it originally was made?
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''I really wanted to know if the Kings wanted me,'' he said. ''When they said they did, I was like, 'Cool. I needed to hear that.'''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Artest says he understands why some teams were leery of taking a chance on him, and he wanted to make sure the Kings weren't included in that group -- and he agreed to the trade shortly after speaking with Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''The Maloofs decided to gamble,'' Artest said. ''That was as honest as you can be. I wanted to go to a place where they were willing to take the gamble. Other [teams] were iffy, iffy, iffy. They were nervous or scared. But [the Maloofs] said, 'We think you can make a difference.' I said, 'Yeah, that's cool.'''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Artest further endeared himself to his new teammates and coaches when he fought off a painful hip-pointer to play Sunday against the Utah Jazz.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''I don't know how he played and fought through that,'' Kings coach Rick Adelman said. ''That's the one thing I really like about him. He doesn't care that he had nine points, but he had a real presence on the floor defensively, and he had a presence with the way he played.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''I was amazed.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Said guard Mike Bibby: ''Ron's a strong, tough guy. That's what I've said before he even came here, and I like that. The team likes that, and that's what we need.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Artest, though, still realizes there are many who doubt his normal behavior can last.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''My public perception is what it is,'' he said. ''Eventually people get to know you more, and then they have another perception.''
[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Kings certainly like what they see in 'new' Artest
[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]February 9, 2006
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BY JOHN JACKSON Staff Reporter[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]New Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest raised quite a few eyebrows during his introductory news conference with the local media 10 days ago. But it wasn't any of his infamous antics that drew the reaction. Rather, it was his vow to be ... normal.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''It's going to be a different Ron Artest in Sacramento, one that is all about basketball,'' he said. ''Before, I was doing music. I'll let that take a back seat now and put basketball first and do things that are not controversial or a distraction to my team.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]So far, Artest has been true to his word. He has been all about basketball and instantly has become the on-court leader of a new-look Kings team.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In six games with Sacramento, Artest is averaging 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds. More importantly, he has gotten the Kings to focus on the defensive end of the court and about doing whatever it takes to win.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]He's also taken a few of the team's young players, including rookie Francisco Garcia, under his wing and stressed to them the importance of playing defense.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''Young guys need to be reminded of what it takes to be a good defensive player,'' Artest said. ''I just try to help out and tell guys what other guys told me when I came in the league.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Sacramento is Artest's third NBA team, and those who have dealt with him in the past are wondering when -- not if -- he'll have another episode. The Indiana Pacers and the Bulls, who drafted him in 1999, decided his obvious talent wasn't worth the baggage that came with it. But the Kings are gambling the 26-year-old finally will mature.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]For his part, Artest believes the trade to the Kings -- he was swapped straight up for Peja Stojakovic -- was exactly the fresh start he needs.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''As much as I loved it in Indiana, I felt a lot of frustration there,'' he said. ''Now I've got a lot of weight off my shoulders.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''Sac is different. The crowd is unbelievable. When I was in Indy, the crowd fed off me. Here, sometimes I wasn't even in the game, and they were going crazy.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]So why did he initially resist the trade when it originally was made?
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''I really wanted to know if the Kings wanted me,'' he said. ''When they said they did, I was like, 'Cool. I needed to hear that.'''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Artest says he understands why some teams were leery of taking a chance on him, and he wanted to make sure the Kings weren't included in that group -- and he agreed to the trade shortly after speaking with Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''The Maloofs decided to gamble,'' Artest said. ''That was as honest as you can be. I wanted to go to a place where they were willing to take the gamble. Other [teams] were iffy, iffy, iffy. They were nervous or scared. But [the Maloofs] said, 'We think you can make a difference.' I said, 'Yeah, that's cool.'''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Artest further endeared himself to his new teammates and coaches when he fought off a painful hip-pointer to play Sunday against the Utah Jazz.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''I don't know how he played and fought through that,'' Kings coach Rick Adelman said. ''That's the one thing I really like about him. He doesn't care that he had nine points, but he had a real presence on the floor defensively, and he had a presence with the way he played.
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''I was amazed.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Said guard Mike Bibby: ''Ron's a strong, tough guy. That's what I've said before he even came here, and I like that. The team likes that, and that's what we need.''
[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Artest, though, still realizes there are many who doubt his normal behavior can last.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]''My public perception is what it is,'' he said. ''Eventually people get to know you more, and then they have another perception.''
[/FONT]
im enjoying every minute
