"Greatest Fight In NBA History" - Metta World Peace OPENS UP On Palace Brawl, Breaking Jordan’s Ribs | PBD Podcast | Ep. 600

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Greatest Fight In NBA History" - Metta World Peace OPENS UP On Palace Brawl, Breaking Jordan’s Ribs | PBD Podcast | Ep. 600

Podcast Information:

• Title: PBD Podcast
• Host: Patrick Bet-David
• Guest: Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest)
• Episode Title: "Greatest Fight In NBA History" - Metta World Peace OPENS UP On Palace Brawl, Breaking Jordan’s Ribs
• Release Date: June 13, 2025

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1. Introduction

Patrick Bet-David welcomes Metta World Peace, setting the stage for an in-depth discussion about one of the most infamous events in NBA history—the Malice at the Palace. The conversation delves into Metta's experiences, personal growth, and perspectives on the evolving nature of the game.

2. The Malice at the Palace Incident

a. Recollection of the Event

• Metta World Peace reminisces about the game against the Celtics, highlighting key moments such as Kobe Bryant's unexpected performance:

  [01:28] "Game 7 against the Celtics, right? I mean, that was sick."

b. Provocation and Escalation

• Metta World Peace discusses the build-up, including interactions with teammates and opponents:

  [05:51] "He comes in. It's not a hard foul. It's a foul."

• Ron Artest (Metta World Peace) explains the trigger point, emphasizing that the initial foul wasn't severe but escalated quickly:

  [09:18] "I'm telling my son, I need to take. I'm telling my family, I need to take you to lunch."

c. Aftermath and Personal Impact

• Metta World Peace shares the emotional toll the incident took on him:

  [02:04] "That was probably the worst day of my life."

3. Relationships with Teammates and Opponents

a. Interaction with Kobe Bryant

• Ron Artest reflects on transitioning from guarding legends like Kobe, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James:

  [07:05] "We had the best record when Shaq. They was in the league at this point in time."

• He elaborates on the dynamics with Kobe during practice and games:

  [12:43] "Phil gives heat, and he can take it. One of the few coaches that can take it."

b. Respect and Rivalries

• Ron Artest emphasizes mutual respect despite fierce on-court rivalries:

  [17:18] "Kobe, he'll leave him on the bench a little longer... trying to get a good practice."

4. Defensive Prowess and Awards

a. Defensive Player of the Year

• Ron Artest discusses earning the Defensive Player of the Year award and the challenges he faced:

  [10:32] "I left a lot of money on the table. It's worth it for sure."

b. Comparing Legends

• Comparing defensive abilities against Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James:

  [28:44] "He's really efficient. If you see his movement, it's all like, everything's fundamentally sound."

5. Coaching Aspirations and the Knicks

a. Desire to Coach the Knicks

• Ron Artest expresses his long-standing ambition to coach the New York Knicks:

  [21:26] "I've been wanting to be a Knicks since 1996 in high school."

b. Coaching Philosophy

• Discussing how he would approach coaching a young Knicks team, focusing on winning and developing talent:

  [24:13] "I know how I want to win. I know how I want to win."

6. Evolution of the NBA and Player Conduct

a. Changes in the Game

• Ron Artest comments on the shift towards a softer style of play and increased focus on player behavior:

  [80:27] "But if you watch now, the league is really physical and there's people that do not talk to each other."

b. Impact of Social Media

• Addressing how social media influences young players’ focus and development:

  [94:37] "I think it's been an effect. I think also they got to lean on the veterans."

7. Notable Quotes

• Ron Artest on resilience and player relationships:

  [02:07] "I had anger management problems, as we all know."

• Ron Artest reflecting on legacy and personal growth:

  [10:35] "It's worth it for sure. Because I learned so much about myself."

8. Insights and Conclusions

Metta World Peace offers a candid look into the complexities of professional sports, the importance of mental health, and the necessity for evolving strategies both on and off the court. He underscores the value of resilience, teamwork, and maintaining integrity amidst high-stakes competition. Additionally, his aspirations to coach highlight a commitment to shaping future generations and fostering a more disciplined and cohesive basketball culture.

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Note: This summary captures the essence of the discussions in Episode 600 of the PBD Podcast, focusing on the Malice at the Palace, defensive strategies, coaching ambitions, and the evolving landscape of the NBA. Advertisements, non-content segments, and repetitive intros/outros have been excluded to maintain clarity and relevance.

Transcript

[Metta World Peace]

5:00Am I'm up with a crisp Celsius energy drink running 12 miles today. Grab a green juice, quick change and head to work. Meetings, workshops. One more Celsius. No slowing down. Working late, but obviously still meeting the girls for a little dancing. Celsius Live fit. Go grab a cold refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail]. you know that feeling when someone shows.

[Ron Artest]

Up for you just when you need it most?

[Metta World Peace]

That's what Uber is all about.

[Adam Sosnick]

Not just a ride or dinner at your door. It's how Uber helps you show up.

[Metta World Peace]

For the moments that matter.

[Adam Sosnick]

Because showing up can turn a tough.

[Metta World Peace]

Day around or make a good one even better. Whatever it is, big or small, Uber is on the way. So you can be on yours. Uber on our way. Six six. Senior from La Salle Academy in New York City is headed to St. John. I remember being at the game. Kobe goes 6, 4, 24. He's not having a good game. Half starts, and then all of a sudden he starts passing it to Ryan. You hit that one three Artest.

[Ron Artest]

That's a three.

[Metta World Peace]

Lakers by six with a minute to play. Talk about a game. Game 7 against the Celtics, right? I mean, that was sick.

[Ron Artest]

It was. It was incredible. I mean, he never passes me the ball and he passed me the ball. Kobe passed me the ball.

[Metta World Peace]

You've guarded Kobe, you've guarded LeBron, and you've guarded Michael. How different are they?

[Ron Artest]

You know, Kobe's definitely more similar, MJ, but I think LeBron, he brought something totally different to the table.

[Metta World Peace]

Malice at the Palace. They never allowed glass drinks because of that game.

[Ron Artest]

Alcohol stops in the fourth. I think now it stops in the fourth quarter.

[Metta World Peace]

I don't even think the foul was that big of a foul, but just.

[Ron Artest]

It wasn't that big. But I know what happened. Like, I've never given up. Free layups.

[Metta World Peace]

Is there anything that maybe he got an award that you didn't get or.

[Ron Artest]

You got an award? I think the defensive player of the year. This is legacy right here. So this is what I think it is. I am done. That was probably the worst day of my life.

[Adam Sosnick]

You're saying you were already in therapy prior to that fight?

[Ron Artest]

I had anger management problems, as we all know. So we could do a whole stand up show. And it's honestly brought to you by valuetainment.

[Metta World Peace]

Did you ever think you were made again here for me, Adam, what's your point? The future looks bright. My handshake is better than anything I ever saw. It's right here you are a1of1.

[Ron Artest]

My son's right about. I think I've ever said this.

[Metta World Peace]

That's cool. So we got a special podcast here, man. We got the one and only Metal World piece in the house. I had to DM you. I'm like, hey, I want to do a podcast. And then you responded back. And then, you know, now we're sitting here together.

[Ron Artest]

Couldn't believe it. I mean, I never met you before. I've watched your podcast. I watch a lot of them. I'm not gonna say all of them, but definitely a lot of them. I just came back from the US And Saudi investment firm, where I'm typically the only athlete in these rooms. When I go out to these places, you know, is super tight security. So I'm thinking. I said, I wonder if he saw. I know you're a Republican, right? I know about you. And so I said, man, I wonder if he saw me with some of his friends. Like, why did he. Is he interested in the US Saudi investment?

[Metta World Peace]

So you thought that was the reason?

[Ron Artest]

I thought. Yeah. I thought you saw it because literally, when I got home, then I got your dm. So I didn't. I didn't know why. He was like, you're a Laker fan. I said, oh, you're a Laker fan. And then. And then I was like, after your interview with Terrence, I DM'd. I was the best interview I've seen in my life. That's my favorite interview I've ever scene, if I'm not mistaken, Terrence Howard. The Terrence Howard interview was incredible. And then I DM Terence. I said, I need to take. I. I'm telling my family, I need to take you to lunch. Like, he. I'm not gonna say changed my life, but he added a few things, showing.

[Metta World Peace]

He is so interesting, and I think the word misunderstood is very good for him, but he is so interesting. I. I would say, till today, I'm registered independent. Of course, I've been a Trump supporter for a few years, but. But when. You know, it's funny when. When. When I DM'd you, I'm having a conversation. Your name comes up. I'm like, dude, like, you know, I remember being at the game, Game seven. Okay.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, wow.

[Metta World Peace]

Self. I'm at the game. I take my pass through row 18. We're there. Kobe goes 6, 4, 24. He's not having a good game. This is the only game I've gone where in the first half. We're sitting there, me and Dudley look at each Other we're not even getting up. The level of anxiety is so high. I said, do you want to grab? He says, I don't want nothing. I can't even move. We sit still. And then second half starts, and then Kobe's just nothing. And then all of a sudden he starts passing it to Ron, you know, and then, and then, you know, he's doing his thing. And then you hit that one three. And then the game, I mean, talk about a game. Game 7 against the Celtics, right? I mean, that was sick.

[Ron Artest]

It was incredible. I mean, Derek Fisher changed the game though. So Derek Fisher, he was down 13 in the third quarter. So now, you know, game seven at home, down 13. We're looking at the shot clock. This is my first time in the finals. And I'm just like, okay. There's doubt creeping in because it's like, you know, I've never been here before. And Derek Fisher says, hey guys, pick your head up. He says, where would you rather be right now? He comes in and he opens his arms. He says, down 13 in a game seven at home. Where would you rather be? And then that.

[Metta World Peace]

Did he really say this?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Did he say that? Halftime in the, in the locker room. When did he say that?

[Ron Artest]

In the third quarter. Because we was on the bench. We was down. It was a time out. It was getting closer to the end. So he said that maybe at the 6 minute mark in the third quarter, is this.

[Metta World Peace]

Phil is letting Derek speak or Derek is just jumping in and saying this.

[Ron Artest]

So typically when they call a timeout, the coaches go to the free throw line extended, right? And then the players go to the bench first, right? So you gotta, you got like maybe 20, 30 seconds.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, 20, 30 seconds for a leader.

[Ron Artest]

To come in there. And then Derek, he is such a leader turn. Because I, I didn't believe in myself at that moment in time. I believed in my heart, but I didn't know what's going to happen because we're 13 points against the Celtics. That's devastating. But we just kept inching away and we pulled it out. We just wore him out.

[Metta World Peace]

And then second half, when you're coming out, like, what happened? Because you played so loose, you were just like, give me the ball. I wanna, I wanna. And that's not the profile though. That's Kobe's job. That's, you know, Powell's job. And then you all of a sudden became the aggressor.

[Ron Artest]

Well, you know, interesting. Well, when I played until I got with the Lakers, I was a go to guy. I was Always the go to guy. I mean, the year before that I averaged 25 against the Lakers.

[Metta World Peace]

I remember that.

[Ron Artest]

I remember, you know, if you look at. Yeah, I remember that. So from that, so from that perspective, I've been in this situation for my whole life. But when you get with Kobe, you become a role player. So I was, I became a role player in my prime. So imagine right now, today, if you're a role playing your prime, you know how much money you leave on the table by saying Instead of averaging 20, I'm going to average.

[Metta World Peace]

Why'd you do it? Cost you some money, right? Is it fair to say cost you?

[Ron Artest]

Well, going to the Lakers, I was worth more than $6 million a year for sure. You know what I mean?

[Metta World Peace]

Especially if after you came off of 24 and a half games, you know, points a game, definitely worth more than.

[Ron Artest]

So I had to just deal with it. It was hard. It was, it was one of the hardest things I've had to deal with.

[Metta World Peace]

That game you, you played against Kobe, where he's going like this, you know, you know, you know what I'm saying? He's going like this, he's going like this. And you telling the referee, dude, he hit me, elbowed me. Right? You know which one I'm talking about.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

I watched Kobe go after guys and recruit the guys that were not afraid of him. Right. You, Barnes, a couple other guys that he wanted to. Jordan did this as well with Rodman and a few other guys that he went after.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Did he ever call you, try to recruit you or.

[Ron Artest]

No, now he actually didn't, you know, because Kobe, he's probably going to send his soldiers, which is the Lakers organization. The Lakers called me at 1201, so on June 30th. So that's when the free agency opened. So I did not expect that call. At 1201, I was in LA at the SLS Hotel, about to go out with my friends. I get a call, we pull over and then my agent, David Bauman says, the Lakers want to speak to you. Pardon my French. But my first reaction was, for fucking what? Because I'm like, they just beat us. Like for one, I don't ever think I'm going to play for the Lakers. Two, I'm super competitive. And I'm like, I don't want to speak to the Lakers. Yeah. He said, they want you, they want, they want you on their team. So then I'm like, I was still a little bit defensive, but then I was like, hold on one second. He just say, so now all this stuff is going on in my head. I meet with Dr. Buss the next morning, and he was like, you know, I'm sorry, I'm not going to be able to pay you what you worth, but we really want you on this team.

[Metta World Peace]

Straight up. He says, that opening line.

[Ron Artest]

Yup, that's his opening line. And I said, Damn, Dr. Buss. Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant. I love Kobe Bryant. I love Kobe.

[Metta World Peace]

Did you. But did you love him then when you're like. When you're playing against him?

[Ron Artest]

No, not when I'm playing against him. No, when I'm playing against him. I don't like Rip Kobe Bryant when I'm playing against him. No. But when I'm not playing against Kobe, I love Kobe, you know, Totally.

[Metta World Peace]

I fully understand.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I love Kobe. He's in.

[Metta World Peace]

So he tells you. He says, so I can't pay what you're worth. And he's the one negotiating the deal. Who else is in? Is Mitch Kupczyk in the room?

[Ron Artest]

Just me and Bus.

[Metta World Peace]

Nobody else is in the room.

[Ron Artest]

Nobody.

[Metta World Peace]

How long was that meeting?

[Ron Artest]

We went to the W Hotel. We sat at the bar in the Westwood W Hotel. Sat at the bar. We didn't drink any alcohol. I might have ordered a avocado toast. And that was it. We just talked. Maybe we didn't even order anything. We talked and that was it. I was like, yep. I said, just send me the contract. I just. I'll just sign it.

[Metta World Peace]

And he told you the number there?

[Ron Artest]

Did he kind of say only the mid. Mid level.

[Adam Sosnick]

Mid level exception?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, mid level exception, which usually is.

[Adam Sosnick]

5,6 million in that category, but you could have been worth 10, 20 million.

[Ron Artest]

Whatever the contracts were at that time, it was 12:15. You know, being a number one guy in the playoff deal, that's like the 12 to 15.

[Adam Sosnick]

So you're leaving at least 10, 20 million bucks.

[Ron Artest]

I left a lot of money on the table.

[Metta World Peace]

Worth it, though, Till today.

[Ron Artest]

It's worth it. It's definitely worth it for sure. Because I learned so much about myself. I learned that I could overcome adversity. You know, you're thinking about your check. Oh, not only the money, that's one piece, but the other piece is you're only averaging 6.9 points. You see, that's tough. Your ego. That's going from where you were in your prime. So. And keep in mind, every time Kobe didn't play in my first stint with the Lakers, I was averaging 18.9. I had to tally it up myself because I had to reassure That I was still pretty good. I was having doubt. You know, when you're not shooting the ball year after year after year, he's just a role player in the corner. And when Kobe didn't play, like, you'll see a game with the spurs, it was like Kawhi and whoever else is on that team. You'll see me playing very well at 26, so I can still play. But when Kobe comes back, now, six minutes away. Yeah. You get two shots, maybe four, maybe five.

[Metta World Peace]

What was your relation? The one thing that's very interesting with you is, you know, there's only a few names, stars that people know you're not a regular player. You were 04 defensive player of the year, right? You're, you know, you got 19 years, you played in the NBA, you know, with six teams, and you're going to go down as arguably one of the greatest defenders of all time. You know, perimeter defense. You were just. You were ridiculous. Playing against you was annoying. Right? I bet guys probably didn't want to go up against you.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, definitely not.

[Metta World Peace]

But you defended. You played. You defended against Michael, against Kobe and against LeBron, right? You played defense. That's not a lot of people that can say that. It's. There's a lot of people that did. But not defending them, right? Where you got defending all three of them. So Kobe has a teammate at that time. When you come in, is he lifting you up? Is he punking you? Is he talking shit? Is he saying, let's go have dinner? Is he asking you, how's family? How's everything? What is his mentality like on. Is he saying, hey, we whooped your ass? Now you're here. You came from the Rockets here. What is he telling you? Not that you're his teammate.

[Ron Artest]

Let's have a good practice. Let's get ready to win a championship. There's not a lot of banter going back and forth with Kobe. You know, we didn't have a relationship, and Kobe is very aware. He gotta know I can't wait to get to practice because he knows me. He knows I got that fire. That's why he brought me. He has to know that I'm bringing it. The first possession of our first practice. So our first practice. I'm sure he couldn't wait, and I couldn't wait. Now I got him, and he got me every day for two hours or three hours in training camp. So the first practice, you know, we're going against each other. We're not on a starting group yet, so, you know, we Couldn't wait. Now, he played very well, I must say. He played very well. But I was also very physical, if that makes sense. I was on him now. He scored. But it was definitely something to watch.

[Metta World Peace]

Was there friction, like in practice with the two of you or.

[Ron Artest]

Not for sure.

[Metta World Peace]

But was there friction, like, you know, you hear stories about Michael and Steve Kerr.

[Ron Artest]

No.

[Metta World Peace]

That kind of friction or. No. Samaki Walker. I think Walker and Kobe had an issue one time on the bus. I don't know if you've heard that story.

[Ron Artest]

No, I didn't hear it.

[Metta World Peace]

Nothing like that.

[Ron Artest]

It was nothing like we were about to fight. But it was definitely a very aggressive or. It was very aggressive, but not. We did have one incident where Kobe's playing very well. He was getting under my skin. Phil Jackson was getting under my skin. And then I was telling the team. I said, you know, last year, if Yao Ming didn't break his foot, I said, we would have beat all of y' all. Right? And then Phil was like, calm down, Ronnie. And I'm like, we not calming down until I say we calm. That's all. I was just disrupting. You're saying this to Phil, but Phil can take heat. Because Phil give heat, by the way. Phil gives heat, and he can take it. One of the few coaches that can take it. A lot of coaches can't take what Phil could take.

[Metta World Peace]

So you're saying this. So he says, calm down, Ronnie. What is Kobe saying?

[Ron Artest]

Kobe just watching. Cause so I think what was happening, too. Kobe wanted. I think I came to practice one day, but I wasn't.

[Metta World Peace]

What year is this? What's the. What's the.

[Ron Artest]

This is 2010.

[Metta World Peace]

I want to know who the roster is. Keep going. I'm listening.

[Ron Artest]

Yes. I think, like, I came to practice, but maybe I wasn't as intense. And I think Kobe wanted to push my button, so. Cause Kobe. I seen him snickering in the back when I was going that field, and he was like. So I think Kobe was, like, actually enjoying the process. Yeah. Enjoying the process. But that was the only day where, like, you know, where we addressed. I just got. I just came from the Rockets, and now I'm here. We never talked about that. They beat us, but we was the only team to take them to seven. They went through everybody that year. You know, the championship game was the Rockets versus the Lakers, basically.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. I mean, listen, if it was a different story. Yeah. So you're saying this to Phil. You're saying Phil also knows how to bring the heat. Yeah, Phil, I talked to Shaq one time where, you know, Shaq and Kobe. I'm asking both of them about the relationship with Phil. And there's a story, once I read about the fact that Shaq sat both of them down and said, you guys think you guys got a big ego. I got a bigger ego than both of you guys have combined. Right. Saying something like that now, whether that happened or not, who knows what was different about his style of leadership than other coaches you had?

[Ron Artest]

You know, Phil, I mean, he's a energy guy. He's a Buddhist. He's a Zen master. He's an energy guy. And I think a lot of the times he's just. He's nurturing your energy, he's centering your energy. You know, he has a plate, a triangle, but the triangle is nothing but a set. The triangle's nothing but stay in your spot. And he. He's on. You see Phil, he's just sitting there the whole time with other coaches, like, hey, go here, go here, go here. So Phil's letting you get out of your own issues. He's letting you solve your own problems.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. He wasn't the guy that would say, time out. Let's go. Boom, boom. No. And I would say, you'd watch the game and the opposition would score six points back to back to back.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

And you would hear. What's his name, the old guy, Chick Hearn, you know, or whoever was Stu Lance. And because I used to live in la, so I would listen to your broadcasters. Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Color commentators.

[Metta World Peace]

And it would say, phil is not even getting up. Would you just sit there and just watching? Is he, like. Is he even thinking about it? He would let you fail.

[Ron Artest]

Yes. He'll sit there and, you know, what if you lost about 30, go into the locker room, and we'll go back to practice. But he's kind of putting that accountability on you, which is really unique.

[Metta World Peace]

How would he do it? What do you say here? So how do you. Would he go in the locker room and say, so how'd you guys feel about the loss? So what do you think happened? Or was it kind of like, all right, guys, we'll see you at practice tomorrow? What. What was.

[Ron Artest]

I'm not gonna say he was, like, babying us, but he definitely was pointing out the mistakes. But he was always trying to strengthen our center.

[Metta World Peace]

How do we meditate?

[Ron Artest]

Turn off all the lights, bring sage in the locker room. You know, center, breathe together. You know, sit up straight in your chair and close your eyes, relax your jaws, relax your. So he was, like, always Empowering you. He wasn't beating you down. With the exception of he'll say little things to get under. He has something for everybody where he can get under your skin.

[Metta World Peace]

Like what? Like give me an example.

[Ron Artest]

He called me cement feet. When he called me cement feet, that made me upset.

[Metta World Peace]

Cement feet?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. He used to call. I had these big shoes. I had a deal with another company. Not a Nike, not an Adidas. I had another company and they were big. But I did it because it was a deal. So I just signed a contract with the shoes. And yeah, it wasn't the greatest looking shoe. You know, Kobe's playing in Nikes. I'm playing in these big blocks.

[Metta World Peace]

Which one is it?

[Ron Artest]

The ones in the championship. I got. I got them on in the finals.

[Metta World Peace]

So the one in. One in. You wore the cement feet in game seven.

[Ron Artest]

Cement feet was definitely in game seven for sure.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, shit.

[Ron Artest]

It's not these ones. These are some other ones I had throughout the year.

[Adam Sosnick]

When's the last time?

[Ron Artest]

Oh, there they go right there.

[Metta World Peace]

That's the one. Who was the shoe company?

[Ron Artest]

It was a company out of China called Peak. So what would let me design my own shoe? I couldn't believe they didn't let me design my own shoe. But it's another story.

[Metta World Peace]

So if he called you cement feed, what did he call the other guys?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I forget what he had for the other guy. He had something for Kobe too.

[Metta World Peace]

Really?

[Ron Artest]

100%.

[Metta World Peace]

So would he get under Kobe's skin or. He couldn't get under Kobe skin.

[Ron Artest]

Kobe, he'll leave him on the bench a little longer, you know, like, he.

[Adam Sosnick]

Didn'T have to say anything. He was like, this is your punishment. An extra 30 seconds minute on the bench.

[Ron Artest]

I don't know why he would do it, but, you know, Kobe's like, Kobe looking down that field with that, you know, that laser eyes, that face, you know, that, that. Then his mouth. This part turned to a bear.

[Adam Sosnick]

Like a bear Mamba.

[Ron Artest]

This part turned to the Mamba. And Phil's just like, you know, you gonna stay there? I know you're supposed to check it now, but we're gonna give you three more minutes over there. That, you know, Kobe be pissed.

[Metta World Peace]

What happened with Sasha Wujicek? What happened? Was there a fight between him and Kobe? Like one thing. Yeah, definitely, because Kobe was saying something and he's elbowing him. And Sasha's got. I've seen that clip. I don't know where that clip is.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, Sasha. Because Sasha is a strong person. Like, that whole team was full of dogs. It remind me of Indiana team. So everybody on that team was, you know, pretty much psycho, like Sasha Bynum, me, You know, Pal's a nice guy, but Pal can get really aggressive and into it. You can see it in his face. You know, obviously Lamar and Josh Powell, people that you don't see a lot.

[Metta World Peace]

Wow, that's right. Shannon Brown, Luke Lawton, Fisher.

[Ron Artest]

Fish is different. Fish is not going to be rah rah, but Fish is not playing no games. You know, he's a little bit different. So Sasha. You say something to Sasha. He's bringing. He's. He's coming right back at you. He don't care who it is. You know, Sasha's got a lot of heart. Adam Morrison. Adam Morrison's probably the most. Morrison, Gonzaga, the most psycho, probably. Seriously, he ain't taking no game. Adam Morrison's not playing any games.

[Metta World Peace]

Seriously.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, 100%. Adam Morrison not playing no games.

[Metta World Peace]

Are you joking?

[Ron Artest]

No. Adam was actually. He should have if it wasn't for those injuries. He was so good in practice. But you had me. You had Kobe with his injuries. If he doesn't get injured. You're talking about all star multiple times.

[Metta World Peace]

No. Wow. Because you.

[Ron Artest]

Incredible.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. You hear stories. He's on the.

[Ron Artest]

I mean, you've seen him in college.

[Adam Sosnick]

College player of the year.

[Metta World Peace]

I remember he was. He was insane in college.

[Ron Artest]

He was really good.

[Adam Sosnick]

I wanted to know one thing about Phil. When's the last time you interacted or even saw Phil Jackson?

[Ron Artest]

I. I was on the phone with Phil last year when I went to go visit Carlisle, Indiana Paces, and he had Phil on the phone. That's the last time I spoke to Phil. And I said, hey, Phil. But I will also call Phil when I needed, like, coaching advice because I'm a coach. So when I was coaching my high school girls or my college girls, I would call Phil and just ask him about different things and if I'm thinking about it the right way.

[Metta World Peace]

So let me ask you this story about you being drafted by the Bulls. If it wasn't for something else, you would have been drafted by the Knicks. And now you've been wanting the Knicks coaching job since 2019.

[Ron Artest]

I've been wanting. I've been wanting to be a Knicks since 1996 in high school and then 1999. I thought I would be a Knick. I love New York, even though, you know, I'm a Pacer guy. Also, I love the Pacers and the Lakers, too. The Lakers turned my. The Lakers cemented my legacy. The Sacramento Kings regained My career. I went to Sacramento after Indiana. Sacramento, you know, they got my career back. I was done. Depressed, mentally, I was done. So, you know, I had different journeys with everybody. And the Pacers, we just had such great rapport. Like, we was headed in the right direction, you know, so I'm probably tightest, closest with the Pacers and Lakers. Probably Pacers and lakers. I love Mr. Dolan. I don't. I don't have a relationship with Mr. Dolan, but the Knicks. I'm from New York City. St. John's right. So St. John's you know, Queens. So for sure. But I want to be a Knick. I wanted. I was a Knick for one year, you know, thank you to Mr. Dolan and Grunfield and whoever else was there. They're not there anymore. And. Yeah, so the Knicks is extremely. It's extremely important to me.

[Metta World Peace]

Have you guys had a conversation about the coaching job or. No?

[Ron Artest]

No, because you got to think about it. When I. When I was. I coach at Cal State LA. I coached Division 2 women's basketball for the last seven years. Right. We're turning that program around. You know, I was at a coffee shop in the Vancouver Islands when we all found out that Tibbs got fired.

[Metta World Peace]

So when I saw that show, I was shocked. I don't know if you were shocked. I was shocked.

[Ron Artest]

I wasn't. I wasn't shocked. I was ready. I was waiting to put in the phone. I couldn't wait to send out that I want the job because my mind didn't have time to be shocked, you know, or surprised or anything. I was like, oh, this is available now. You got to understand, when someone gets fired, the agents, the general managers, they're already working, so somebody's already being hired. And this has happened to me all the time. I can't get opportunities because I'm not in the know. I don't have an agent, and I don't necessarily. I don't necessarily try to fit in circles, you know, I just like to work, so I don't have circles open. So that's why I said, I'm send this tweet out. And I did it within, like, two minutes. And then it kind of went viral. Now, I'm still not in the system, if that makes sense, but.

[Metta World Peace]

So you haven't interviewed yet?

[Ron Artest]

There's not interviewed, but they know.

[Metta World Peace]

They know you want the job?

[Ron Artest]

Absolutely.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. So. So what would you like if. Let's just say you were there. Okay. You got a very young team. Okay. They went to the Eastern Conference. Finals twice. Right. The guy's a stud. He's an underestimated guy. Brunson. Where, you know, since the day he came out. Is he a Villanova? Who did he. That's right. So how would you, how would you coach that team differently?

[Ron Artest]

You know, so for one, I'm not going to say differently because I'm not going to compare myself to Tibbs. You know, maybe some of the things are the same, but I know how I want to win. I know how I want to win. And I'm not going to give away everything because I won. If I do get the Knicks job, which would be a blessing, it would need to be a Hail Mary like a Knick football. First time ever. You never seen a Knick football. It need to be a Hail Mary for me to get the same position. You know, I saw a couple things. Game one, that was the Knicks game. Halliburton was incredible. He's the Michael Jordan of these playoffs.

[Adam Sosnick]

You know, that's a big statement right there.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. Of these playoffs this year, he's the Michael Jordan. Wow. We've never seen this, but name a time. You seen these many game winners.

[Adam Sosnick]

Game one, he wrapped the heart apart.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. That one shot he made three. Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

Or four.

[Metta World Peace]

Who is done? Yeah, he's playing. Okay, so for you, between Pacers and Knicks, who's your heart? Who has your heart?

[Ron Artest]

Is different. It's about. Even when they play against each other in the playoffs, I typically don't go to those games because the Pacers, you know, is where I played the best. I had history with the fans, the fans had my back, organization had my back. You know, through all the rough times with New York, I'm a protector of New York City basketball. I love New York. So it's almost like an even playing field.

[Metta World Peace]

Would you take an assistant job before eventually have a coaching like a head coach like you would. Would you entertain assistant?

[Ron Artest]

Well, right now, since the Nick head coaching job is on the table, I don't want to put assistant in the air.

[Metta World Peace]

I got you.

[Ron Artest]

I want to, I want to keep it focused on head coaching because you got to think about it. People could say, this coach is prepared, this coach is prepared. It's not taking any shots at the coaches. But everybody had their chance to bring the Knicks to the promised land. Everybody had their chance. At some point in time, somebody got to step up and actually bring the Knicks to the promised land, you know.

[Metta World Peace]

You know what it reminds me of? You know, the, the coach of the Detroit Lions. The coach of the Detroit Lions Dan Campbell. Yeah, there's something.

[Adam Sosnick]

Linebacker.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, there's something about the guy that's emotional. I want to know, is Dan Campbell from Detroit? Can you see if he's. He's from. No, he's from Texas. Interesting, because he coaches the Lions as if he's from Detroit.

[Ron Artest]

Nice.

[Metta World Peace]

Did he ever play for the Lions? Who did he play for? Okay, head coach, who did he play for? I think he played as well. He did. Okay, so there you go. There is heart. There is that affinity for the organization. Because when it comes down to Knicks, I wonder what it's like to get a guy there that's coaching who is a New York guy who is doing what he's doing. Going back to what we're talking about with, you know, Kobe, you played with Kobe. You've guarded Kobe, you've guarded, you know, LeBron, and you've guarded Michael. Now, Michael, you guarded him when he was, I think with the witch at the end. So it's not really. You can't really compare. I looked at the numbers. I actually pulled it up to see, yeah, you know, what they average when they, when you, when you play defense against them. So Michael, you played five games. Five games against them. I don't know if you know these stats.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I know he played.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, so you played five. You guarded him five. You played against him five times. Okay. 22.4 games. 22.4 points a game, 6 rebounds, 2.6 assists. This is against you. Kobe, you played against 20 times. 27. 6. 5. 7 rebounds, 6. 1 assists.

[Ron Artest]

What about the field goal percentage? They have it.

[Metta World Peace]

I can pull that up as well. And then LeBron, 26.96.76 point. Matter of fact, I'm going to pull that up because that's interesting. Interesting to know that as well.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

What was the. What was a different style playing up against MJ? He was in his mid to late 30s.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Kobe, LeBron, how different are they guarding them?

[Ron Artest]

They all different. You know, Kobe's definitely more similar to MJ, but I think MJ get the upper hand because MJ's mid range is incredible. He's very strong. He could turn left, turn right. Once he release, it is going in. Kobe's a little bit different, a little bit more agile than MJ, and LeBron's more. He's stronger, he's more of a team player. Even though Jordan did average a triple double, I think, in one of these playoff series. And he did have times where he would have 13 assists. But I think LeBron, he was physical he seized the floor and he brought something totally different to the table than like what a Kobe would bring or Michael. They. They all so different. But if I had to give one guy the edge, it'd be Michael.

[Metta World Peace]

Because of what? Because of mid range.

[Ron Artest]

He's really efficient. If you see his movement, it's all like, everything's fundamentally sound. He's quick, he's strong, he's athletic. He can shoot, you know. Yeah. So I would probably have to give it to Michael.

[Metta World Peace]

Is it true the story I heard about when you played pickup with Michael, you broke two of his ribs?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

How did that happen?

[Ron Artest]

You see that picture? You just saw me and Mike. Look at this picture. You see that one right there?

[Metta World Peace]

I love that.

[Ron Artest]

So you see that's in the game. Look at Mike.

[Metta World Peace]

How old are you on this picture?

[Ron Artest]

I'm 19 or 20. That's how me and Mike played every day in the summertime.

[Adam Sosnick]

Wow.

[Ron Artest]

We were just. We was picking up from the summertime right there. That picture. When I saw that picture, I said, wow. That's what. Because people didn't get a chance to see. Look at Mike. Arms. What is. What am I doing? What is Mike doing? So whose foul is this?

[Metta World Peace]

Whose foul? This is your foul.

[Ron Artest]

Why would you say this is my foul?

[Metta World Peace]

You're on yours. On his face. His arm is below you. You're fouling him.

[Ron Artest]

But look, what is his arms doing?

[Adam Sosnick]

He's putting his arms into you to grab onto you.

[Ron Artest]

Okay. Yeah. This is the same call where Mike, in the summertime, when I broke his ribs by mistake, where he got called. Offensive foul on this play. So keep the same exact play. So keep in mind. So check it out. Watch this. Which is really interesting. I love Mike, by the way. I changed my number to 23 because of Mike. I love Mike. Right. But so Mike, as Mike runs in the summertime, he's bringing referees. So Mike has three referees in his run.

[Adam Sosnick]

He's bringing the referees.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

That's how you win a game.

[Ron Artest]

It's free throws. Everything in my grunt.

[Metta World Peace]

Do they favor him because he's paying them or not really.

[Adam Sosnick]

They better.

[Ron Artest]

I don't know if they was favoring him as much, honestly. I think it was even for everybody.

[Adam Sosnick]

That's cool.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, it was pretty cool. Yeah, it was even. So you see my right arm.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

On the other side, on the back on the backside. So because Mike is so strong and the reason I'm like that, because he got these little tricks. The thing with Mike is this. If you let him catch it, that's where you die. So you can't let him catch it. Interesting, because once you catch it, I don't care who you are. You done, right? So as he was holding me, I took my right arm in the summertime and I moved his bottom arm out the way, and then I cracked him on the other side. But I didn't throw it at him. I was just trying to swing and move him out the way. And I just think he didn't realize how strong I was. But he called me after that because in the media, people reported that I. They said I punched Michael. In the Chicago Tribune, Ron Artest punches Michael Jordan in a run.

[Metta World Peace]

Seriously? Chicago Tribune said that?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

What'd he call you and say?

[Ron Artest]

Well, he said, I was depressed for two days. I'm like, this news just went out that I punched somebody. I played for the Bulls, so I was depressed, and I didn't go to practice. I mean, the summertime practices. But then Michael called me and said, it's okay. We was just playing hard. I want you to come back. So Michael said, you see?

[Adam Sosnick]

Look at that.

[Ron Artest]

Who foul is that?

[Adam Sosnick]

Well, he's on defense. He's gonna get the foul.

[Ron Artest]

Whose foul is that?

[Metta World Peace]

Whose foul is that?

[Ron Artest]

Look at all these pictures with me. That's why I love Mike. Mike, you're young here. I think Mike. Mike said in the paper one time that I was one of his favorite players or defenders. And. And then I came out and said it, and then Barkley was like, mike didn't say that. Why would Michael Jordan say that? Ron Artest is one of his favorite players. Look at that one. This is literally the cv. And Mike.

[Metta World Peace]

That is insane.

[Ron Artest]

You see the intensity. You see, that's what people do. You know what I mean? That's why Mike. I'm like, charles, why would I make that up? I'm like, look how I play against Michael. I ain't kissing Michael Jordan's behind. I'm going at Michael.

[Metta World Peace]

Was he talking? Was he like, out of all three, who's chirping the most?

[Ron Artest]

Well, nobody talks to me.

[Metta World Peace]

Are you being serious?

[Ron Artest]

I'm serious.

[Metta World Peace]

Tell me why.

[Ron Artest]

I've never heard anybody talk.

[Metta World Peace]

Wait a minute. Are you being serious?

[Ron Artest]

With the exception of. I've never heard Mike talk trash to me. I heard him talk trash to other people. Kobe. When I talked to Kobe, that's when we was going. We had a little banter back and forth. But I've never seen Kobe, Kobe. I never heard Kobe talk to me. Or even. Or even like a LeBron. I never. Nobody. You Know. Cause you risk me turning up, you.

[Adam Sosnick]

Know, they don't want that smoke is what you're saying.

[Ron Artest]

But Paul Pierce, on the other hand. Okay, the truth, he initiates the it.

[Metta World Peace]

Well, I mean, listen, part of it is, you know, the, the. Rob, can you pull up the clip of you. You pulled his pants down. You pulled his shorts down in the middle of the game?

[Ron Artest]

In the middle of the game, in.

[Metta World Peace]

The middle of a game. What do they call it? They have a name for this. You pants, right? Is this it?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Play this.

[Metta World Peace]

Watch this year.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, cuz look at this.

[Metta World Peace]

Look, look at Ron. Okay, no, no, you got to go back. You got. Because you missed it. Go back a little bit. And here, watch this.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah, but respect to Paul Pierce here, he gets the ball.

[Ron Artest]

I know, I know.

[Adam Sosnick]

I made a way three on you.

[Metta World Peace]

So what was that all about?

[Ron Artest]

Well, he was scoring so much, I couldn't stop him this game and he couldn't stop me. By the way, I had a lot of points too. So I was trying to like slow him down. I was literally trying to slow him down. But you know, Paul was like, yeah, he didn't care.

[Adam Sosnick]

Before we move on from the MJ LeBron Kobe conversation, I have one question for you. I mean, not many people can say that you've guarded the three best offensive players, three best, you know, athletes that have ever played the game. Let's put Michael Jordan the goat aside. You're starting a team. You're the manager, you're the coach, right? You can either draft Kobe in his prime or Lebron in his prime.

[Ron Artest]

You get the first pick and they.

[Adam Sosnick]

Prime prime time LeBron primetime Kobe. You get the first pick.

[Ron Artest]

Ooh, primetime LeBron prime time.

[Metta World Peace]

This episode is brought to you by Stay Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want is a great feeling. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. And every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen.

[Ron Artest]

I probably go with Kobe because I think he could take over a game. But LeBron. LeBron's the number one scorer. That's really hard.

[Adam Sosnick]

You sound conflicted here. I feel like your heart says Kobe, but your mind's saying LeBron.

[Ron Artest]

Sometimes I do pick LeBron. Sometimes. Sometimes I'll pick LeBron. Like, all right, that's my guy. Some days I'll pick Kobe. But then also what gets in the way of my goat is Tim Duncan. They forget Tim's arguably better than those.

[Adam Sosnick]

Guys, but let's not bring Tim in the conversation. You get your first pick. Who you taking?

[Ron Artest]

That's. That's. Well, first pick. That's crazy. In their primes, yeah, you get the first pick. LeBron brought a team. How many teams did LeBron bring to the Finals with, like, three? No, no, no.

[Metta World Peace]

A lot. With Mo Williams. Mo Williams average 16 points. But it wasn't like he had. Yeah, I see the point you're making.

[Ron Artest]

Because you know what I mean, Something like that from that perspective.

[Metta World Peace]

But it's Eastern.

[Ron Artest]

It leans towards.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, Eastern Conference. And it was. It was a moment where in Eastern Conference you didn't have a lot of stuff going on.

[Ron Artest]

He's never been to the Finals or even with the Lakers. But yeah, that's true. The Western Conference a little tougher. I mean, you probably would lean towards a LeBron at. You know, sometimes you would pick a.

[Metta World Peace]

Towards the.

[Ron Artest]

You would lean towards the LeBron.

[Metta World Peace]

So tell me about this Duncan. When you're saying, like, Duncan was better than all of those guys.

[Ron Artest]

Duncan's arguably better than those guys.

[Metta World Peace]

Like, even Michael or just LeBron and Cope.

[Ron Artest]

Duncan is okay. Yeah. Put Michael in a. Duncan is arguably would beat those guys.

[Adam Sosnick]

Stop it.

[Ron Artest]

Duncan got five rings.

[Adam Sosnick]

Stop it.

[Ron Artest]

In a small market, by the way, Jordan was in Chicago. It's not going to be. Not tough to get to Chicago. Kobe's in LA. It's not tough to convince somebody to come to LA. It's tough to convince somebody to come to Cleveland. LeBron went back to Cleveland. See, that title is going to separate LeBron at the end of the day at some point, because he is the number one scorer already. He went back to a small market. LeBron called me in 2009 to come to the Cavs. Now, I said no for many reasons.

[Metta World Peace]

He called you.

[Ron Artest]

I spoke to. I spoke to King James on the phone. And, you know, I want one. I want to play against King James, I want to play against Kobe, I want to play against T. Mac I typically don't like to play on their teams. That's the main thing. But that was a small market. You couldn't really convince me to go. So San Antonio, small market. So it's tougher to win in San Antonio than it is.

[Metta World Peace]

Interesting. Interesting what you just said. Because the perspective you're given is that the ability. Like I asked Kobe, I said, Kobe, how do you recruit guys to come to your team? So it's very easy for me. You want to win, come with me. You don't go with everybody else. Remember when he said that? He says, you want to come to me, let's go win.

[Ron Artest]

He told you that?

[Metta World Peace]

He told me that, yeah. Rob, you can pull up that clip. It's online somewhere.

[Ron Artest]

But he was on your show.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, yeah, we had a lot in front of 6,000 people. 20, 19. 2019. Yeah, we had a very good. But find a part about him saying recruiting if you can find it. But it's interesting to say, like, who wants to go to a small market? Who wants to go to small markets?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, who wants to go to a small market?

[Metta World Peace]

And now you got two small markets in the finals today. Yes, you got two small markets in the finals today. You got Indiana and you got okc. Lowest viewed. Did you see the data? It's the lowest viewed finals since 1988, man.

[Ron Artest]

It's a reason for that. Honestly, I think we got to get the people back. Used to. We need to let these stars become stars, not like force feeding stuff.

[Metta World Peace]

Tell me what you mean by that.

[Ron Artest]

Meaning, like there's a lot of manufactured stars.

[Metta World Peace]

Like who?

[Ron Artest]

I don't want to mention people's names, exactly. But for example, when Detroit Pistons won the finals, yeah, you had Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace, but nobody had them winning.

[Adam Sosnick]

2004.

[Metta World Peace]

That was a team. That was a team.

[Ron Artest]

They became stars. Look at the Warriors. Yeah, they had Stephen Curry, but we didn't know, but that team became stars. But sometimes you'll get the media, they'll force feed you, you know this guy, force feed you, this team. I mean, look at this Pacer team. You know, there's no real superstars.

[Metta World Peace]

No. Even Halliburton's doesn't give me a superstar.

[Ron Artest]

Not yet. Not superstars yet. But they're. They're going to become stars because we're going to win it, right?

[Metta World Peace]

You think, you think you're going to win it?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, we're going to win.

[Metta World Peace]

You think so?

[Ron Artest]

Absolutely.

[Metta World Peace]

I was blown away by the fact that last night I'm sitting there with Dylan. It's 11:30. I'm like, are you freaking kidding me? They're up two to one.

[Ron Artest]

Yes, they are.

[Metta World Peace]

Because the way the, you know, OKC plays, they're long, they got the, you know, the way they're playing is. It's a very intimidating team. 68 wins, like they should win it. Indiana's got how many wins? 50 or 51, 49 wins. I don't even know what the numbers.

[Ron Artest]

Maybe not even 50, but I.

[Metta World Peace]

So here's a question for you. What's the biggest difference between Halliburton and Chris?

[Ron Artest]

Paul Halliburton, a little bit taller, a little bit more 50, a better three point shooter, you know, and probably a bigger clutch shot maker than Paul. Paul Micah, he probably could argue that. But Halliburton, he has this timing on his clutch shots. The time he's on time, he is not late.

[Metta World Peace]

His shot is a very unorthodox shot, but it just goes in.

[Ron Artest]

It's like he holds it.

[Metta World Peace]

He holds it like he shoots it in a very. It's like old school shot. He's got an 80s old school shot the way people would kind of got.

[Adam Sosnick]

Like a Sean Marion, Bill Cartwright, weird little line.

[Metta World Peace]

I don't know if I would go that far. I think he's just got a. He's got a. He's got an old shot.

[Ron Artest]

It's more 70s actually. It's more. It's more 60s, actually.

[Adam Sosnick]

He's like Rick Barry at the free.

[Metta World Peace]

Throw line doing that very weird shot. Like, I don't know if they're gonna, you know, duplicate that shot. But going back to fabricating players to become superstars, so. Fabricating players to become superstars. So if I gave you some names. Okay. And you know, on current NBA today. Okay, tell me what you think about their game. Giannis.

[Ron Artest]

Giannis is really good on defense. I think he's so physical on offense. I don't know if he has a lot of moves, but he's scoring at a high clip because he's so physical. He's quick. He's in shape. He's in shape.

[Metta World Peace]

He's so fun to watch. He's a fun guy to watch.

[Ron Artest]

Fun guy to watch. He can he. His hedges on screens are incredible. I really love his hedges on screens. I love that the most about out of anything that he does because it's such an important part of the game.

[Metta World Peace]

What do you think about Luka?

[Ron Artest]

Luka has to get in shape. Luka has to get in shape.

[Metta World Peace]

I heard he lost 20 pounds.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. He has to not only Lose weight, but also create endurance. I think the game was a little bit easy for him on offense, and I think he forgot that you also got to play defense. And to play defense, you got to be in shape. So, you know, so I think he has to be more aware of the game. He has to be more aware that there are incredible players. Look who's in the finals. Luka is the man. Well, guess what? Now it's other people that are winning. So Luka has to, like, really get back to square one.

[Metta World Peace]

When you think about Zion Williamson, okay, Zion is a beast of a guy. When you look at his body, physicality, the whole thing, right? And you're seeing the numbers that he's putting up. If he plays, I don't know how many games he's missed. I think he's missed 200 plus games.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, a lot of games the last.

[Metta World Peace]

Four or five season. From your perspective, is he done or can he still come back and be superstar, status, champion type of guy? Maybe go to the Knicks and maybe you coach him in the next two or three years, you know what I'm saying? Because he wants to go to the Knicks. According to a lot of, you know, rumors you hear about, the guy wants to leave New Orleans and wants to go to the Knicks. Do you think this guy's going to make a resurgence and be a superstar?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I think he will. He had the injury, came off the injury, so you can see he wasn't as bouncy. You know, I think same situation as Luka. I think you got to. You got to be aware. Sometimes you get so much money, you know, so much media, private jets, all this stuff, but you're not aware of the game. You're not aware of the soul of the game. So you're not aware that other people are working Shea Alexander in shape. You know, you're letting these people catch up to you. And by the way, they might stay consistently there. You got Winyana. You're not aware that, oh, Wimpanyana is coming. He's going to be a force in a couple years. You only get a window. You only get a window. Russell Westbrook got mvp. Well, that's a window. And that window goes away. No matter how good you are, somebody else is going to step in. The same thing with winning, you know, even with, even with the, even with the Denver team. They won it once, right? Twice. At once.

[Metta World Peace]

Once.

[Ron Artest]

Once. Yeah, they got, they got there twice.

[Metta World Peace]

I think they got there twice. Yes.

[Ron Artest]

And it's a window now. They don't know if we don't know if they're going to get there again. So Zion and people like Luke, they got to understand this is a window.

[Metta World Peace]

Can you check to see if Denver got there twice?

[Adam Sosnick]

They beat the Heat.

[Metta World Peace]

I know, I know they got there once. I, I think they've been on the Western Conference multiple times, three times. And, and, and he's a, he's a stud of a gun. Never won the first championship in history. Definitely. Yeah. I think they just got to the championship. What a team. Oh, because that one year Jamal Murray was injured. I don't know if you remember when he got hurt.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, that's right after they won it.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

You were going to ask about a couple different players who are maybe. I don't want to put words in your mouth. Sort of become the face of the league. Almost coordinated before they've done anything. A name that comes to mind for me, my opinion is Anthony Edwards. He's never won anything. He's, you know, Luca beat him, got to the finals. Shay Gilgames Alexander beat him, got to the finals. Is he someone that you might be referring to as someone that, you know the face of the league but maybe hasn't deserved it yet?

[Ron Artest]

So it's two different ways to become a face. One, it's your sneaker company, it's your branding company. Marketing. You paid ads. Advertisement. Then you got media. They gotta find somebody they're gonna pick good looking guy. Good looking guy. Media playing well, you know, everybody's, you know. Then you got those two ways and you got the fans, right? Then you got the fans. And sometimes it's almost like three sections of fans. You got the media fan who's only listening to the media and they just point out the messaging like that. Cause they gotta go to work. And then you got the real fan, you know. And then sometimes depending on who's saying what, maybe all four of those verticals are saying. Anthony Edwards. Well, Shane has something to say about that.

[Adam Sosnick]

Right.

[Ron Artest]

You know and I think I like when you earned it. I like when Ben Wallace earned the defensive player of the years. The Richard Hamilton or Chauncey Billups earned that finals MVP.

[Metta World Peace]

Eagle Dollar was a stud, man.

[Ron Artest]

Eagle Dollar was fun. Chauncey was incredible.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

You know, Mr. Big Shot.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Ben, I think. Did Ben get defensively player four times.

[Ron Artest]

I should have, I should have had one or two of those. Ben, you should have one of his. One, I think, I think one.

[Metta World Peace]

So I got a question for you.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I think one, curious to know what you're saying. He would make an Argument that he should have had mine.

[Adam Sosnick]

That's a good defensive player. I'm gonna steal your stuff.

[Metta World Peace]

So since we're talking about defensive player of the year, before we get to the malice. Malice at the palace. But defensive player of the year. When. When. When you think about defensive player of the year, you know, they'll talk about Michael Jordan. You know, you know, he. He played defense, and he was this and he was that. And LeBron never got a defensive player.

[Ron Artest]

Right, right, right.

[Metta World Peace]

And then LeBron has said multiple times that that year when Marcus saw got the defensive player of the year, it should have been his.

[Ron Artest]

Right, right.

[Metta World Peace]

What are your thoughts about that?

[Ron Artest]

Well, LeBron, I think LeBron's a good defender. He's different. He's. He hustles. He tracks you down. He's all over the floor. He's rebounding. He's a different type of defender. It's probably going overlooked a little bit, but you can make the same case with MJ. MJ, actually, the way I locked up is the way MJ locked up. You see what I'm saying? MJ locked up like that. You know, n got 30. So MJ, it's a difference. Marcasol was more protecting the rim. So LeBron does have an argument because Mark wasn't locking up, but he was protecting the team. He was the anchor. Like a Draymond Green. Draymond locks up and he's the anchor. Right. So LeBron was a. He definitely was the anchor because you go to the basket. Well, here comes LeBron. Look, even look at his big blocks that he had in the finals, he for sure has an argument.

[Metta World Peace]

He has an argument on being a. On winning the defensive player of the year that year over Marcus all.

[Ron Artest]

I mean, Mark played. I think he has an argument that year because we were overlooking how he affects defense. You know, everybody. Because we're used to seeing a wing player perimeter getting down on defense or doing what Michael Jordan did, which was. Michael locked people up. What.

[Metta World Peace]

What year did Marcus all win? Defensive player of the Year? Marcus saw defensive player of the year 2013. Interesting. So 2013. What did LeBron do in 2013? Defensive player, 2013.

[Adam Sosnick]

He was playing for the Heat.

[Metta World Peace]

Defensive of the year, 2013.

[Adam Sosnick]

Last or second to last year.

[Metta World Peace]

Voted second defensive player of the year. Okay, so if we go to defensive player of the year, there's the most valuable rookie of the year. Defensive player of the year. So LeBron won second. So Marcus all got 212 votes. LeBron got 149. Mark had 31st place. Votes and LeBron got 18. Then it was Ibaka, Joachim Noah, and it was Tony Allen and Tim Duncan.

[Ron Artest]

So he almost got it.

[Metta World Peace]

He Almost got it. LeBron averaged 0.9 blocks a game. Mark was 1.7 steals. LeBron 1.7 Mark 1. I wonder how they score. That is it because when I asked you a question, I said, you know, here's what. Jordan average against you, LeBron average against you, Kobe average against you. And then the first thing you asked about was what, what did they shoot? Field goal right field goal percentage. Is the NBA going to look at the fact of what the opponent's field goal percentage is to give you that Defensive player of the year?

[Ron Artest]

Well, I wouldn't have got defensive player of the year if it wasn't for Rick Carlisle, because the year I got it, Rick Carlisle had the whole staff work on it. So Rick Carlisle really won me that. It was a stat that all small forwards averaged six points against me that year. I didn't even know that. So you combine all the small forwards when you play against Meta, they was only getting six points. Now, yeah, LeBron might have gotten 25, but everyone else was getting really sometimes zero. I had a lot of people to zero points, which is really difficult. Yeah, you know, two points, you know.

[Metta World Peace]

So you, you were 2004, right? 2004 defensive player. And who was second behind you that year?

[Ron Artest]

It might have been Ben. It was always me that those years, it was just being flip flopping.

[Metta World Peace]

Was it 03 or 04? No, four.

[Ron Artest]

Right, I got it. 03 04.

[Metta World Peace]

03 04. Yeah. Can you pull it up, Rob? I'm actually curious right now.

[Ron Artest]

Kevin Garnett for the second.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, no. Huh. Let me, let me check this one out. If, if you go, Rob, I'm actually curious to know who was. Is it showing who's second and third or no.

[Ron Artest]

Kevin Garnett. How did he, he got MVP that year and actually Jermaine. Well, I think I thought Jermaine should have won defensive player of the year, but yeah, I got it.

[Metta World Peace]

So let's, let's talk about, you know, here's an interesting statistic. I looked up who has been suspended, who got the biggest suspension in the NBA ever. O.J. mayo was first place. I didn't know that, by the way. 162 games for. What was it?

[Adam Sosnick]

I think it was steroids.

[Metta World Peace]

O.J. mayo didn't look like he used steroids. O.J. mayo, he used steroids.

[Adam Sosnick]

Substance and probably disclosed the levels typically drugs of abuse. It wasn't marijuana. You're not going to get suspended that long for marijuana.

[Metta World Peace]

Okay, well, anyways, he got 100.

[Ron Artest]

Probably not for marijuana.

[Metta World Peace]

He got 160. 62 games, give or take. Okay, then yours was 86 games.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. Too many games.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. And then third place was interesting. Was Latrell Sprewell.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

68.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

The whole. When he, you know, choked out Rudy Tomjanovich. Yeah, yeah. Rudy Tomjanovich is the one that got punched in the face back in the days when he played. I don't know if you know.

[Adam Sosnick]

Oh, yeah, of course. I think it was Larry. No.

[Metta World Peace]

Julie serving.

[Ron Artest]

No, no, no.

[Metta World Peace]

Jordan. Larry. No, completely different guy.

[Ron Artest]

Big guy. Yeah, he's a nice guy.

[Metta World Peace]

Actually punched him in the face. Broke his jaw, and he had to sit. You can type. Who punched Rudy? But anyways. And by the way, Littrell Spreewell, to me, was one of the most exciting these guys at the time had. Who, Billy Owens. They had. They had a very exciting squad right at the time. Maybe even Mullen was at the team with him. But with you. Malice at the Palace. Right? You know. You know, things are. Things change when the. When a sport creates new rules. After that game, they never allowed glass drinks because of that game. Did you know this? The last time they allowed glass drinks in the NBA was at this game. After this, I said, moving forward, there's no more glass drinks and no more.

[Ron Artest]

Drinking in the fourth quarter.

[Metta World Peace]

Is that what they. No more drinking in the fourth quarter.

[Ron Artest]

Alcohol stops in the fourth. I think now it stops in the fourth quarter.

[Metta World Peace]

So, look, I've heard this story God knows how many times. It never gets old. My son Dylan, you know, if he sits there and he wants to watch some video sports, he says, dad, can we watch Malice at the Palace? You can watch Ronaldo score a goal. Messi score. I want to watch Malice at the Palace. Walk us through what happened here. I don't even think the foul was that big of a foul, but just a big foul.

[Ron Artest]

You see the score? So we were winning the game, you know, and it was. It wasn't that big of a foul, but, you know, I know what happened. Like, so one, they were down. I've never given up free layups. I'm not. And just because it was Ben, I'm not going to give up a free layup. And I saw Chauncey was on a podcast and said, you know, Ron, foul Ben. He must not have known what he was doing. Like, as if I didn't know. I was fouling like a shack, like a. Guys, if I was scared of a gorillas. I'm like, you know, yeah, I knew what I was doing. I was following Ben Wallace. Of course I know what I'm doing. And then. But as I foul Ben, you know, he reacted.

[Metta World Peace]

Are you guys at that in that season? Are you friends? You guys talking?

[Ron Artest]

I've never. No, we're definitely not friends.

[Metta World Peace]

You've never been friends?

[Ron Artest]

No.

[Metta World Peace]

Till today.

[Ron Artest]

I think we would see each other and say hello. Like, I don't have no problems with Ben, but.

[Metta World Peace]

But it's not like you guys are like Oakley and Jordan were friends.

[Ron Artest]

It's not like one of those things at all. Never, never.

[Metta World Peace]

But was there animosity? Is there anything that maybe he got an award that you didn't get or.

[Ron Artest]

You got an award?

[Metta World Peace]

Is there anything there?

[Ron Artest]

I think the defensive player of the year is because when he got his In 2002, in 2002, I was an immersion defender and I wanted that award. He won it. Then he got it again in 2003. In 2003, I think I made first team all defense and I was locking a lot of people up and I'm like, damn, I should have got that award. In 2004. I actually get the award. So now he has two. I have one. Then you got the next year is the brawl year. Now keep in mind, in 2003 for me, I got the most text and the most flagrance, I think in the league in 03 03. And I think like the media was like, you know, meta is too wild. We're not. Don't just give him that award. I think they just gave it to Ben. Not like he earned it, but I think it edged 2004. I had my head on a little bit more straight 03.04. The next year I get suspended. So the next year I thought I was going to win it because not only, you know, am I still the best defender, I believe, but my average is up, you know, it went up to 24 before I got suspended. So now I'm out, you know, so now and then. Keep in mind, the year I got defensive player of the year, I finished number six in MVP voting.

[Metta World Peace]

No shit.

[Ron Artest]

A lot of stuff they keep away when it comes to me.

[Metta World Peace]

You were number six. MVP vote.

[Ron Artest]

I finished number six.

[Metta World Peace]

Wow.

[Ron Artest]

Hey, what's up? I'm Metta World Peace, the chairman of our test management group. And now I am officially on my neck. I want you to reach out to me. I got a lot of things to offer. Whether you wanted to chat about sports, basketball on the Business side, business development, consultation, brand strategy, foreign relations and more. I look forward to connecting with you on my neck. That's averaging 18 points. So check this out. So that's averaging 18. I make 13 all NBA at 23 years old. So check this out. If I got that. And, you know, oh, that's the year I got the 50. Yeah. Okay. You see? So. So if I got that. So now I'm at. Now the next line under is 24. That's MVP. That's six points more. And we the best team in the league. We had the best record the year I got defensive player of the year. So I think that was. I talk about that window. That's that window. That. That's that window like Shay Alexander, you know, mvp. We don't know when the next time he gonna get it. So I think that was my year. That was my window to get mvp.

[Metta World Peace]

So. And so.

[Ron Artest]

So you got the player of the year.

[Metta World Peace]

And is. Is the NBA hyping it up that you guys are, you know, rivals and all that other stuff? Is that. Are they doing that or not really? Is it just something that you. You and Pistons was there.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, we. We was rivals, yo.

[Metta World Peace]

For sure, you are rivals. At that time.

[Ron Artest]

We. We wasn't rivals from the perspective of like, you know, it was generated by media. Is because we created that. The Pistons and Paces, we created that. Now, they came out on top because they won, but we competed really hard. And internally, we even say it. I'll speak to Rip Hamilton, because me and Rip probably. I speak more to Rip than any of them. And I'm cool with Rasheed and also. And Chauncey and Tayshawn. I know Tayshawn for so long, and, you know, I like these guys, but when we played against each other, you know, it was a different.

[Metta World Peace]

So he comes in. It's not a hard foul. It's a foul.

[Ron Artest]

Right? Right. It's a foul, but not a hard foul.

[Metta World Peace]

And then he reacts.

[Ron Artest]

He react. And so immediately when I fouled him and he turned to me, I was trying to say sorry. Not maybe not sorry, but, you know, maybe my bad. Because if you. If you look at my reaction and I would. That's what I was doing.

[Metta World Peace]

I remember that, you know, Rob, can you play it so. So you can play a clip, get commentary from. Because, you know, and by the way, I don't know if we can play it on the. On the podcast or not. Maybe we can. Maybe we can. But if we can play just to get commentary, I want to see this from. Yeah, his perspective. Because God knows how many times I've seen this thing here.

[Ron Artest]

I know. Too many times.

[Metta World Peace]

Is that it?

[Ron Artest]

That's definitely part of it?

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, that's definitely part of it.

[Ron Artest]

You click on it, it's probably gonna.

[Metta World Peace]

Play on that one, Rob.

[Ron Artest]

They're definitely gonna play it.

[Metta World Peace]

Okay, so here we go.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, show the foul.

[Metta World Peace]

You have to show the file because I have to see the foul. Wrap.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, that picks up at the push.

[Metta World Peace]

Let me. That's still.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, go to another.

[Metta World Peace]

We got to go to the one above. Right there. Check that one out.

[Ron Artest]

See, that's it.

[Metta World Peace]

Okay, that's it. So go back a little bit. This is just going to show the foul. Watch this. So you're going in.

[Ron Artest]

So hold it right there. Okay, now that's not a, that's, that's definitely not a soft foul. Let me, let me be.

[Metta World Peace]

It's not. But it's not a flagrant two or flagrant one foul. Did they call it flagrant one on that or not?

[Ron Artest]

That was a, that was, you know, it could have been a flagrant, but, or could. That's a flagrant. Okay, That's a flagrant. That was. Now I can see why I've been.

[Adam Sosnick]

You know what it's like when you slow it down.

[Ron Artest]

Well, I didn't, I didn't. I never saw it. This angle. And this is, keep in mind, over the last 20 plus years, I said it was a soft foul.

[Metta World Peace]

Now you're calling a flagrant.

[Ron Artest]

Well, I'm calling that a. That's a, that's a, that's a flavor.

[Metta World Peace]

Because you didn't make a play for the ball.

[Ron Artest]

Well, I, I, I wanted to make a play just to grab him, but it was a weird angle. I don't know. Look at my eyes.

[Adam Sosnick]

Is that left hand?

[Ron Artest]

No, that's a, that's a, that's a flagrant. That's actually a flagrant.

[Adam Sosnick]

The right hand goes for the ball at least a little bit.

[Ron Artest]

I never even seen it.

[Metta World Peace]

Like, by the way, I've never seen this ankle myself.

[Ron Artest]

I've never seen this angle.

[Adam Sosnick]

Great fun.

[Metta World Peace]

So can you, Rob, can you find the other angle?

[Adam Sosnick]

So you see, he, he hit you in the neck.

[Metta World Peace]

Well, pause it right there, Rob.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

So go for it. You were saying, you were saying something.

[Ron Artest]

Well, before that. I see this angle. It's a, it's a hard foul. Maybe it's not a flagrant. There's definitely like a warning, right? It's a warning. But now you see. Now look at my hand. Let me see if you Keep going. Okay. I said. No, no, wait, wait, wait, wait. All right. I don't know if you're gonna see it, but.

[Metta World Peace]

Well, you can go to the other. The other.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, maybe go down, because now the.

[Metta World Peace]

Other clip shows the.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. So after I found them. Right there. Right there.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, I saw the.

[Ron Artest]

Right. I was trying to be like, sorry or I don't know.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah, Like.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. Like, maybe like, hey, yeah, we got it. And then he was like, I'm. He's tough, and I'm tough.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

Ben Wallace ain't no joke, you know, And. And. But you see me, I'm not too worried, you know, because, like, was Ben.

[Metta World Peace]

Known as a guy that would fight, umbral or no?

[Ron Artest]

Now, Ben's just a good player. Ben's a very focused player. Look at me. I'm chilling, so I'm not worried about. I'm not worried. I'm laying on the scores.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah. You know, so you were, like, lying, literally, like, lounging. I think I want to say.

[Ron Artest]

I'm really chilling. I'm not worried because. Because, you know, I didn't want to turn up. Look, I'm right there.

[Metta World Peace]

Now, by the way, you can pause it here. At this point, is it fair to say Jermaine is a gamer?

[Ron Artest]

No, Jermaine's a. Yeah, he's a gamer.

[Metta World Peace]

Like, no, no, no. Now, I'm not saying basketball. I'm talking about, like, if things go down. Jermaine is a gamer.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, Jermaine. All. The whole team. The whole team is. The whole team is full of dog. The whole team filled with dogs.

[Metta World Peace]

Who was the toughest? Who was.

[Ron Artest]

David Harrison. And, you know, he was a big dude. Big. Okay. David Harrison, a dog. Jamal Tinsley, your point guard, Jamal.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

Really? New York City. He was a street boy before Iowa State. I want to say Iowa State.

[Adam Sosnick]

He was a gangster, right?

[Ron Artest]

He's street before ball, you know, Steven Jackson, Freddie Jones dog. Freddie Jones dog. There's nothing but dogs on that team. No, and was that Jameson Brewer, dog?

[Metta World Peace]

Who put the team.

[Ron Artest]

Jeff Foster, I think you had Kenny.

[Adam Sosnick]

Anderson, the point guard.

[Ron Artest]

No, Kenny Anderson was on that team, old school.

[Metta World Peace]

Who put that team together?

[Ron Artest]

Donnie Walsh.

[Adam Sosnick]

Who put the.

[Ron Artest]

Donnie Walsh.

[Metta World Peace]

So he intentionally was looking for dogs.

[Ron Artest]

Like he was looking for dogs. He got him, too.

[Metta World Peace]

And so. Keep playing it, Rob. Keep playing it.

[Adam Sosnick]

So there you are, lounging.

[Ron Artest]

So as I'm lounging. Like, the referees had no control, right? So the referees, you know, been. Want to fight closely, and they hold it. I mean, you know, so he's throwing stuff at Me now. That's why I got up right there.

[Adam Sosnick]

But up until this point, this is nothing out of the ordinary. It's a little scuffle until something gets thrown.

[Ron Artest]

No, what's out of the ordinary is that they didn't eject. They got to make an ejection. Like, there was no control. The refs had no control. All right, Typically you would be like, he ejected. Foul. Checked it. Oh, do it again. Warning, warning, warning. It was like they was like, oh, my goodness. People's going, like, had no control.

[Metta World Peace]

Make some decisions.

[Ron Artest]

So if Ben would have been ejected, boom, foul. Oh, you're running after him now. Stop. Oh, oh, I can't hold you. Ejected out of here. That's how that goes.

[Metta World Peace]

So now that you're watching this, should they have ejected both of you?

[Ron Artest]

I don't. I mean, maybe if. Because they was ejected. I was always getting ejected for looking at people. I got ejected for looking at people the wrong way. But in this situation, I mean, I think you call the foul.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

You call the tech on Ben for pushing order. Warning. And as he's running, you go get him and say, stop. As he's still going. At some point, there has to be a tech. There was never a tech in this situation.

[Metta World Peace]

So up until this point, they haven't called the tech or foul.

[Ron Artest]

Not one tech.

[Metta World Peace]

Only the foul that they called.

[Ron Artest]

Only the foul.

[Metta World Peace]

And that wasn't a flagrant back then.

[Ron Artest]

That was.

[Metta World Peace]

I mean, no. Did they. Did the refs call it a flagrant back?

[Ron Artest]

They just called it a foul. Cause it was. But it was a little. I mean, you got to think about it. They were down. They. The former champs. They were down. And then Ben had to go to the free throw line. Probably was going to miss one of one. Right. You know what I mean? So he probably was going.

[Adam Sosnick]

This is the beginning of the next season after they won the championship. This is in November. The season starts in October. This is.

[Ron Artest]

This is graduated.

[Adam Sosnick]

10 games in type.

[Ron Artest]

10 games in.

[Adam Sosnick]

Gotcha.

[Metta World Peace]

So now watch. Keep playing it game. Now it's about to happen.

[Ron Artest]

They said it wasn't a big game, but for us, it was a big game.

[Metta World Peace]

And you. You did this in their house.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, for us.

[Adam Sosnick]

So you're still lying on the bent.

[Ron Artest]

On the Reggie Miller. He's good.

[Adam Sosnick]

There's Ben Wallace doing his thing.

[Ron Artest]

And I'm just trying to, like, just, like, get this over with already, you know, like.

[Metta World Peace]

And then suddenly someone throws.

[Ron Artest]

At Capella University, you can learn at.

[Metta World Peace]

Your own pace with our flexpath learning format.

[Ron Artest]

Take one or two courses at a time and complete as many as you can in a 12 week billing session. With flexpath, you can finish the bachelor's degree you started in 19 months and under $19,000. A different future is closer than you.

[Adam Sosnick]

Think with Capella University.

[Ron Artest]

Learn more at capella. Edu fast as 25% of students.

[Metta World Peace]

Cost varies by pace.

[Ron Artest]

Transfer credits and other Factors. Fees apply. McCrispy strips are now at McDonald's. I hope you're ready for the most dippable chicken in McDonald's. It in all the sauces. Dip it in that hot sauce in your bag.

[Metta World Peace]

Dip it in your McFlurry. Your dip is your business.

[Ron Artest]

Mc Crispy Strips at McDonald's.

[Adam Sosnick]

Is Mike.

[Ron Artest]

Brown yelling, I don't know how to.

[Metta World Peace]

I don't even know freaking time. What? This is the other. No, this is.

[Ron Artest]

Well, I wish Steve would have guarded it. Actually.

[Metta World Peace]

Now you.

[Adam Sosnick]

You're going to blame it on Stevie Jackson. Come on.

[Ron Artest]

No, not.

[Metta World Peace]

He's got.

[Adam Sosnick]

He's out there with all the smoke.

[Metta World Peace]

So they haven't dropped the cup. Nothing's been dropped yet. Nothing's been dropped yet. It should happen.

[Ron Artest]

Trying to calm things down, actually, Shooter.

[Metta World Peace]

Man, Lindsay was fun.

[Ron Artest]

Lindsay was incredible.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, he was fun to watch.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, I wish they didn't have.

[Adam Sosnick]

Oh, there it was. It was a purple cup.

[Metta World Peace]

Ben runs back, wait for it. Okay.

[Adam Sosnick]

See the cup land on him now. Now, here the craziest fight, NBA history ensues.

[Ron Artest]

All right, here's the unfortunate situation. That's one way to put it. Here is the unfortunate situation.

[Metta World Peace]

By the way, who's telling you don't do it? Is anybody telling you don't do. Because stop. Like come back out. Is anybody trying to stop. I didn't see Stephen Jackson stopping you.

[Ron Artest]

No, no. It was mass hysteria.

[Adam Sosnick]

I don't think the referee blowing a whistle at this point is nothing.

[Metta World Peace]

But you got to realize somebody. Somebody's got to be like, look, bro, we're going to get suspended.

[Ron Artest]

No, no, no, no.

[Metta World Peace]

Nobody.

[Ron Artest]

Not in there. Not at that point. Because what happened was. So when the guy hit me. And by the way, the guy made a $50 bet that he could hit me. So that's what. It's on my documentary. It's on the documentary.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

So he. He betted the gentleman. He was here. Another gentleman was here. This guy betted this guy that he couldn't. No, this guy better. John Green that he couldn't hit me for $50. So then John threw the cup and hit me, who's a kind of a friend now, actually, he threw the cup and hit me. And then the other gentleman raised his hand like, oh, you did it. And then when I got hit, that's the first thing that I saw.

[Metta World Peace]

You thought it was him.

[Ron Artest]

You did it. Yeah, but. And then people said you hit the wrong guy, but it wasn't the wrong guy.

[Adam Sosnick]

Wasn't there someone on the floor that you came up?

[Metta World Peace]

But let him commentate this. Keep going. So I'm trying to see who threw that shoe.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, they got. So they hid the frame. It was like when we was in court. They showed frame by Rob.

[Metta World Peace]

Can you go back, Rob? I want to know who. Who you know, so when you. When he runs up. No, no, a little bit back when he first runs up. Okay, right there. Okay, let it go. Okay, let's go from here. So. Okay, pause right there. Who threw the cup?

[Ron Artest]

So John in the white hat. My friend John. And he bet the guy. I think the guy bet the guy I'm attacking right now.

[Metta World Peace]

And so you never hit John?

[Ron Artest]

I didn't hit any of them. I. I shook the. Ryan. I think his name was Ryan.

[Metta World Peace]

I didn't never punch anyone in the face. Not until later. The other guy that came up to you.

[Ron Artest]

The guy that came up to me, yeah. He tried to attack me on the court. I didn't tell. I didn't punch none of these guys. These guys. I just shook him. I just held him like, don't you ever throw no cup at me.

[Adam Sosnick]

Play it right from here.

[Ron Artest]

Right? And then John.

[Adam Sosnick]

Okay, you don't punch it. Well, you kind of slap.

[Ron Artest]

I'm like, don't you have a.

[Metta World Peace]

And that's Jon holding you back.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

John, Someone threw another.

[Metta World Peace]

That's somebody throw another Jackson.

[Adam Sosnick]

This is the greatest fight in NBA history. I mean, right?

[Ron Artest]

And then Jon punches me in my face from behind. Right there. Now he's punching me in my face.

[Metta World Peace]

Are you joking? John punched you in the face?

[Ron Artest]

He punched me in my face.

[Metta World Peace]

Go back a little bit. I've never seen this John punching you in the face.

[Ron Artest]

I know he's punching me in my face right there, right now. Look. Look at it. You see that?

[Metta World Peace]

I saw that. I saw that.

[Ron Artest]

That's me getting punched in the face.

[Metta World Peace]

Wow. So John. What did John do? Was John a tough guy or just a fan?

[Ron Artest]

Like, so, John, so when you. I was so depressed after this. So years has passed. Just pause it for a second. Then you go, so what happened was in 2007, I was trying to become, like, undepressed, so I started to reach out to Everybody in that area in the situation. So I reached out to John, we actually had a conversation, became like friends, you know, so. But John's situation, he was a aaa. He was already an AAA at this point.

[Metta World Peace]

Got it.

[Ron Artest]

He wasn't even supposed to be drinking. I learned a lot about John cuz we're friends and. And he was also going through a little bit of issues with his family also. So it was. It's a backstory to him that I'm also sympathetic. Even though he. He lost me tens, tens and tens of millions of dollars. I lost so much money, so much opportunity cost. But that don't really affect me as much as his story. You know, I'm more like he was going through stuff too. And as I'm on the board of UCLA Psychiatrical, I have a soft spot for people that's going through stuff, so. Which is unfortunate, but it's just how. Just how I made up.

[Metta World Peace]

Wow. So, Rob, keep playing it, Keep playing it. So, so, so.

[Ron Artest]

But yeah, in this moment.

[Metta World Peace]

Lower the audio a little bit, Rob, because we can hear it. So, okay, at this point, it's going back and forth.

[Ron Artest]

At this point, it's back and forth.

[Metta World Peace]

So by the way, did Ben and you. Did Ben at all hit you? Did any of the Pistons at all hit you during this?

[Ron Artest]

Well, Ben was just throwing his band his wristbands when I was on the table.

[Metta World Peace]

It's tough to hurt you with wristbands.

[Ron Artest]

Well, yeah, it should have been a tech.

[Metta World Peace]

Okay, so you're not.

[Ron Artest]

That's Wes. Wes. Wes got me. I almost got pepper sprayed. I didn't even know it. So the cop was coming up to pepper spray me and the guy that's holding me. World Wide West.

[Adam Sosnick]

Oh, world wide West.

[Ron Artest]

That's worldwide. If it wasn't for him, I would have got pepper spray and arrested on the floor. What was he doing Brown right there? Yeah, Wes got me. If you see the tape, you'll see the cop had the pepper spray. Because the guy. When I got back down to the floor, then the other fans tried to punch me. Two fans jumped me. Two more fans, they jumped me. They. They literally jumped me.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, Rob, if you go back in the other clip, the other clip will show the two fans trying to jump him. The one that was. Yeah, that's the one right there. Watch this. So this. Keep it playing. Let it, let it go. Okay, so boom, that's that. And then this is when it drink hits.

[Ron Artest]

Man, what a disaster.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. And then it starts and there's John.

[Ron Artest]

See, John was like, oh, See John. See John.

[Metta World Peace]

This is it.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. This guy came and attacked me.

[Adam Sosnick]

Who's this guy?

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, he knocked him out.

[Ron Artest]

How are they on the floor?

[Adam Sosnick]

That's my point.

[Metta World Peace]

Boom. And then Jermaine o' Neill comes in. Oh, yeah. So he slips.

[Ron Artest]

But he's saying.

[Metta World Peace]

And then, like, I watch When Is that Chuck person.

[Ron Artest]

That's Chuck. Yes. My guy.

[Metta World Peace]

Trying to get him out. Chuck was a great Chuck.

[Ron Artest]

And Reggie. Chuck was incredible.

[Adam Sosnick]

Chuck was a shooter.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. So this game was another pouring drinks on you, Scott.

[Metta World Peace]

By the way, they just did that to demarcus Cousins a couple days ago. I saw that. So let's. Let's.

[Ron Artest]

Mike Brown.

[Metta World Peace]

So. So, okay. Ron Mera. You. You. This ends.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

They stop the game. It's over. Like, everyone's going home. Nothing's gonna be happening. You're in the locker room. Like, what's going on in the locker room now? What's going on with the chaos?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, the locker room was weird because, well, for me, I worked so hard. I was. I was in therapy. I'm doing everything I gotta do. You know, I'm on the table. I'm not. I'm not engaging with Ben. You know, that's all things I practice in therapy. So I'm like. So I'm like. I'm in the locker room, like, no way that this has happened. So so much is going through my head. Like, I'm averaging 24. You know, I'm gonna be an all Star again. I'm gonna be first team, all defense again. You know, all this is about to happen. You know, we're gonna be the best team in the league again. This is you talking about when Iverson was in the East. You talking about when Kobe was in the league. We had the best record when Shaq. They was in the league at this point in time. Right. You see what I'm saying? So this is legacy right here. So when I got into that locker room, I asked Steve and I said, y' all think. We asked Steve and Jamal kind of a general question. I said, you think we gonna get in trouble? Cause I'm just like, if this is. If I know David Stern, and if this is what I think it is, I am done. And I just. And then Steve was like, yep, we are done. I was like, oh, my goodness. So I. You know. So it was. It was like, it was definitely the worst day. That was probably the worst day of my life, for sure. And then also, not the worst day of my Life was in 1999, not getting drafted by the Knicks it's the.

[Metta World Peace]

Second worst day of your life.

[Adam Sosnick]

She's saying you were already in therapy prior to that fight.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, so I had anger management problems, as we all know. So.

[Adam Sosnick]

No, I kind of don't want to make a joke about this now.

[Ron Artest]

It's okay. It's okay. We could do a whole stand up show. And it's honestly brought to you by valuetainment.

[Metta World Peace]

By the way, MVP voting that you're Nash's one. Sha two. That's the one where Sha. Like he thought he took it from him. Dirk is three, Duncan is four. AI LeBron, McGrady.

[Ron Artest]

Not this year. Not this year.

[Metta World Peace]

So maybe is that 030405?

[Ron Artest]

Oh, sorry. No. All right, so this is after I got. I'm talking about 0304.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah, this is 0404.

[Metta World Peace]

Garnett, Duncan, Jermaine O' Neill, what else to say. And then Peja Stojakovic, Kobe, Shaq, Ben.

[Ron Artest]

Wallace, kid for MVP.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. 03. This is all three or four.

[Ron Artest]

I thought I finished six.

[Metta World Peace]

Well, let me check one. Maybe it's a different one. I'm looking at.

[Ron Artest]

No, you might be looking at the right one. Maybe I could be wrong. I thought I finished six MVP voted but because we was the so.

[Metta World Peace]

But. But this happens. This is what I'm trying to get Adam. What I'm trying to find out is the locker room after this.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Is. Is Brown even in the locker room? Is he talking to you guys?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, he's the other coach.

[Metta World Peace]

Is Carlisle saying anything to you guys?

[Ron Artest]

Carlisle's trying to calm everybody down, but.

[Metta World Peace]

He knows it's done the seasons. He's. He's about to lose two of you guys.

[Ron Artest]

Well, at that point it was so wild and the fans, we wasn't even thinking about that. We think about getting out the. Getting out that building. You know, that was. That. That was so at that point we know something has happened. So Carlisle was just trying to calm everybody down and not let it escalate anymore. It was wild. It was a wild time. That's what everybody. We all knew we was done.

[Metta World Peace]

What's Miller, is Reggie Miller in the locker room talking to you guys?

[Ron Artest]

People was outside the doors. The people was everywhere. Everybody's outside the door. How long I was in this. I just went to my seat.

[Metta World Peace]

How long from you leaving? Like right there where they're pouring everything on you, throwing everything on you to you guys in the locker room shower leaving. How long is that time?

[Ron Artest]

That might have been an hour. It might have been an hour.

[Metta World Peace]

So you guys have an hour together.

[Ron Artest]

Well, they wanted to arrest us.

[Metta World Peace]

Are you kidding me?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, somebody over there. Because you guys, you know, people say, hey, man, why are you in sue? Like, that's not even in my makeup to sue, you know. You know, people sue. It's not even in my makeup. But I think you had any. That could have went south for the businesses. There's a lot of lawsuits that could have happened. You know, none of us filed any lawsuits. You know, now, some of the people, like this guy said, the guy that hit me, not Ben, the other fan, tried to file a lawsuit.

[Metta World Peace]

He did.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, he came on. Both of them tried to file a lawsuit. This guy and the other. Both of them. Look at these guys. Look at these guys.

[Metta World Peace]

What happened? Any luck or nothing.

[Ron Artest]

No luck. No luck.

[Metta World Peace]

So that's a train district with them, though.

[Ron Artest]

The district attorney of Detroit was incredible, huh? The judge was like a little bit like the media got to the judge. It was, you know, it wasn't. It wasn't.

[Metta World Peace]

Who is the best player on the team at that time?

[Ron Artest]

Is it Reggie on that team? Yeah, no, me and Jimmy.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, really?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. Not. Not like that. But Reggie, Reggie was. Oh, this is Reggie's second to last year.

[Metta World Peace]

I mean, was this the year where it's kind of like, hey, this is a shot for Reggie to win the chip?

[Ron Artest]

This was the year for sure. I mean, I was. I was the leading scorer on the team.

[Adam Sosnick]

Well, man, I saw a clip. Speaking of Reggie, I don't know if you were in it. I think Stephen Jackson was in it where they apologized to him and Reggie started crying.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I saw that. I saw that.

[Adam Sosnick]

Because he's like, nah, it's not your fault.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, we felt bad.

[Adam Sosnick]

It was like.

[Metta World Peace]

Can you find that super emotional. Very emotional. Emotional. It is, yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Were you in that or was that.

[Ron Artest]

Just Steve and Reggie? That was just Steven. Reggie. Okay.

[Adam Sosnick]

He's apologizing, saying, this is your last chance and we kind of ruined it. With the malice of the palace.

[Ron Artest]

I ruined it. But Steve is saying we were. Steve just being nice, like, Steve was just being a little bit nice. It was definitely probably the majority my fault.

[Metta World Peace]

Is that it? Rap.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

I'm glad to see you because this. I've never had a chance to tell you that. I'm sorry.

[Ron Artest]

Just let me finish, though, because, like, I. We all understood what our motivation was for. Yes, that's true.

[Metta World Peace]

It wasn't for us. It was for you.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, for sure. Whole motivation for getting things done the.

[Metta World Peace]

Right way and getting the championship.

[Ron Artest]

We wanted to bring Reggie.

[Metta World Peace]

I Never got a chance to apologize.

[Ron Artest]

To you for my actions.

[Metta World Peace]

Now with me saying that I love you even more because you defended me, because you knew that I was just being a lawyer teammate. I wasn't, you know, I wasn't out there being a thug or nothing like that. So it meant a lot to me.

[Ron Artest]

That's why I gotta take a drink because. Told you I didn't want to go there, man.

[Metta World Peace]

I'm trying to hold mine in. You don't need to say to me, man.

[Ron Artest]

Come on, man.

[Metta World Peace]

So you don't need to apologize to me, you young cats.

[Ron Artest]

When I say young, I mean Jamal.

[Metta World Peace]

Jermaine, Alex, yourself, Ron.

[Ron Artest]

Those last few years in Indiana, my.

[Metta World Peace]

Best years, I didn't have my superpowers, but I felt. And you guys made me feel like I was Superman. We had some dogs, man. We had a squad that was arguably. And I played on some Indiana teams.

[Ron Artest]

That were destined, should have, could have.

[Metta World Peace]

But always came short. That team, we were.

[Ron Artest]

We were stacked, man. Yeah, that team was crazy. We was definitely, you know, that team was incredible. And I was in my prime on the wing. Like, nobody was getting nothing off. But, yeah, you know, we. You know, that's why I didn't really want to fight Ben or I was, like, trying to go to scrolls table. I was in therapy. So after. After my practices. After every practice, I had to go to therapy, you understand? So that's like going to. So that's what I did after every practice. So from that perspective, what Jack was saying was 100% right. So I can take the blame because I didn't expect anybody to hit me. Like, I was preparing for other things, like on court, not getting texts, not being detrimental to the team. You know, the fan thing was like, I never saw that coming. Never saw that coming. Caught me off guard.

[Metta World Peace]

Can you imagine? You know, I watched the game and I think about when we're talking today, when was the favorite era watching the NBA? I'm like, you know, 90s, early mid 2000, and that's it. After that, it was, you know, of course, 2010, Lakers were winning, I was good. Kobe, all that stuff. I'm good after cope. I'm done with the NBA. I don't have any interest in the NBA. I've not rooted for anything. I've been out, right? But to me, there's one thing that. And I wonder what you'll say about this. The one thing that made the game, like right now, okay, WNBA stats came out today. I don't know if you saw the stats that came out today since Caitlin Clark's been injured.

[Ron Artest]

I saw that.

[Metta World Peace]

Viewership has been down 55% since she's been injured. Right.

[Ron Artest]

Wow.

[Metta World Peace]

But guess what? 53% decline. 55% decline since her injury. Since her injury. Right.

[Ron Artest]

Man.

[Metta World Peace]

And you got Angela. Is it Angela? Reese. Angel Reese. Angel Reese. Right. And she's very good at getting rebounds off her missed shots. And she. She stacks those a lot. But she's so. These guys. But there is animosity in the game, right? Right. There's a level of animosity in the game where fans who would. I would never watch wnba.

[Ron Artest]

Right. Right now you're like, dude, yeah, Caitlin's captivating.

[Metta World Peace]

Caitlin's captivating, and she's a good villain. So it's kind of like going back and forth seeing what's going to happen. Do you think the NBA, maybe you. You're going to disagree with this, the game today? Yeah, I don't know. It is what it is, man. It was. There was villains back then. There was animosity back then. It was true. You know, like, I remember when Jordan wanted to go out, hang out with Oakley and Pat Riley's like, nah, you can't go do that. He's trying to soften you up, become friends with you. We're not doing that. There was a certain element of that. Do. Do you miss that? Do you think it'll ever have that? Or do you think it's just kind.

[Ron Artest]

Of like, you know, it's back now.

[Metta World Peace]

You think it is?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, it's back. If you look at the league now, it's aggressive. It's people that don't talk to each other. It's back. It's just that people that's not watching, they're basing their kind of comments and opinions on two years ago, three years ago, because that's what it was. But if you watch now, the league is really physical and there's people that do not talk to each other.

[Metta World Peace]

Give me. And I love that.

[Ron Artest]

I don't know exactly, but I'm watching the games and you can tell people, like, for example, Halliburton, the players called him the most overrated player. He's the most overrated. Pole a player poll.

[Metta World Peace]

That's right. I saw that.

[Ron Artest]

Because he talks a lot of trash. He. He's not making friends with a lot of people out there. He's, you know. So right now the league is coming back and. But I think people that got turned off, they haven't watched recently because right now, it's incredible.

[Metta World Peace]

What do you think caused The NBA to be turned off. The lowest viewership since 1988. Lowest viewership in the Finals, of course. Two small markets. I get that. But it's the lowest viewership from 1988. What caused it?

[Ron Artest]

I think the change, I think because it's a global game, right? And I think that now the money's going higher.

[Metta World Peace]

Because now I'm not talking viewership. What I'm talking about is what caused animosity to leave, because the. The leaving of. The animosity wasn't because of Kobe. Kobe was all animosity right after Kobe with LeBron. What caused animosity to be gone in the NBA?

[Ron Artest]

As a fan, just a game doesn't.

[Metta World Peace]

It's like everyone's friends. Everyone's like, oh, you know, me and Chris Paul are hanging out. Stuff you're watching with the amount, like, I want to know you don't like each other. I want to know there's a fight. I want to know. There's, like, you know, the greatest UFC fight ever. You know what it was? It's freaking, you know, Khabib against Conor. Dude, Khabib wanted to kill him. He wanted to. And so, as a fan, it's the most viewed fight ever in the history of ufc. And today, it's kind of like, yeah, whatever, you know? You know, we'll see what's gonna happen. It's a little soft. And then, by the way, I don't disagree with you on how it is. I think Shay is a little bit calm. He's not. He's not steering the pot and creating excitement. He's like, no, we'll be fine. No, we'll be. This versus Halliburton's like, dad's getting kicked out. Dad's talking shit. He's doing this. He's making fun of his dad's pants. And, you know, you kind of seen that a little bit with him. But what caused the game to be softer?

[Ron Artest]

Well, I think how we left the game is the rules. I think people were trying to move the game forward. I think they wanted to remove themselves from our era. And then a lot of the fabric has changed. The fabric was changing, actually. And then you saw more people. Buddy, buddy. On other teams, more people before games, laughing, talking. I mean, even Elton Brand, one of my best friends, who I love to this day, like, literally, you guys fought in aau.

[Metta World Peace]

You and Elton Brand gone, too. Fight one time.

[Ron Artest]

You fight on the same team.

[Metta World Peace]

You and Lamar own them together.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, we got. Me and Elton got in fight on the same team on. On the label line and that, that came from playing against each other. And then also in our practices, our Riverside church practices.

[Metta World Peace]

Wow.

[Ron Artest]

Which was really intense. I was always intense in practice and you know, I think, you know, we were always taught no friends. So if I'm. So me and Elton, we got drafted together with the Bulls when we was playing against each other in practice in Chicago. I mean, Elton's a big strong boy. You gotta watch out for Elton, the Clippers.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, he used to be.

[Ron Artest]

He a big strong boy, you know, and a man, you know. Was Elton brand Clippers or is Clippers also. Also play very well? He averaged 20 and 10, I think for his career. He's underrated. Underrated player, Very underrated. But, you know, so from that perspective, we came up under the era of competing, you know, when me and Lamar would play against each other. Who's a really great friend. I wasn't making friends with Lamar, you know, I wasn't trying to say, yo, what you doing after, after this for dinner?

[Metta World Peace]

You weren't that guy.

[Ron Artest]

No, not at all. And those are like closest friends. And then you had some other people. I don't know you. I definitely am not trying to get dinner with you or lunch or anything. But I think the good thing about being friends because a lot of players miss out on opportunities to do business together too. So you're talking about having a 10 year career, no friends, you know, that's so much opportunities where you could be.

[Metta World Peace]

Wow.

[Ron Artest]

So you're investing together, doing business.

[Metta World Peace]

It's more strategic if you are friends.

[Ron Artest]

To do more business, you should be friends. Honestly, now you can still compete, but you know, go co invest together. Like imagine if we're not talking as athletes, we can co invest about real estate, doing this stuff together. So I think LeBron started, I didn't want to go right at LeBron, but LeBron started the friendship. But I think he was on to something. But at some point in time you got to compete. So I think, I think now is a better balance, you know, I think now is a better balance.

[Metta World Peace]

I don't know, man, I, I gotta tell you, I, I don't, I don't, I don't, I, I don't like that. So I want to show you this. I just want to know how you're going to react to it. Okay. When you played against Michael or Kobe, okay. Can you ever visualize Michael or Kobe doing things like this? I just want you to watch this and just give me your thoughts on it. I mean you're, you're like Obviously, that's. That's a flagrant, too, at least, right? That's a. That's a hard foul on LeBron from. To fall that way. Look at that. What happened right there. You think Michael and Kobe are going to react that way? Let's let it continue. Let it keep going. I just want to get your thoughts. Let it play, Rob, because it's going to keep showing you more of these.

[Ron Artest]

I love LeBron.

[Metta World Peace]

I know you do. I know it's your guy. So let's watch this.

[Ron Artest]

Sorry, LeBron. I'm a comment on this.

[Metta World Peace]

Watch this one here. Look at that. What a hard foul by Paul George. Knocked him out like 20ft to. Here's another one for you. Watch this one. Watch this one. Watch this one. You know, I. I've. I. You know, I don't know. Look at this. And that's his boy, Chris. Paul, by the way. They're friends. Look at that. Chris is like. They're both great actors. Maybe that was kind of like, I want to show you I'm a better actor than you. No one's touched him. You can pause it at this point. Met up. Be honest, man. You see this stuff deep down inside. Do you watch this and say, this is part of the strategy, Pat? This is what you don't understand as a fan. He's been strategic.

[Ron Artest]

It's a strategy.

[Metta World Peace]

It is a strategy.

[Ron Artest]

Where does strategy come from? It comes from the rule changes. It comes from changing the culture. It's not the player's fault. It's the referee's fault.

[Metta World Peace]

Why doesn't Caitlin Clark do this? She gets fouled all the time. She stands up. Why doesn't.

[Ron Artest]

Different breed. Caitlin's a different breed.

[Metta World Peace]

Okay, so then that. That's the point.

[Ron Artest]

Caitlyn's a different breed. She's old school.

[Metta World Peace]

Caitlyn's a different breed.

[Ron Artest]

Caitlyn's old school. Caitlyn's a tough. She's old school. She's a different breed.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, shit.

[Ron Artest]

She's a different. She's from our area.

[Metta World Peace]

She's from Indiana.

[Ron Artest]

She can shoot, though.

[Metta World Peace]

She's a shooter for sure. Yeah, she can shoot. But have you seen when she gets fouled what she does?

[Ron Artest]

She.

[Metta World Peace]

Boom. She jumps up.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Like, she doesn't want you to feel like you hurt her.

[Ron Artest]

I was talking to one of the owners of the Fever, and they were like, caitlin's getting fouled so much. And I said, don't worry about Caitlin. She said, yeah, but they're gonna hurt her. I said. I said, don't Worry about her. She is gonna be fine. She's not worried. But, you know, I think so. I think when the. When the referees are calling these flops, you know, that's where you say, oh, they gonna call flops. Well, I'll do it, too. And I think they were. I think. But you got. But. But if they're flopping and the refs is calling foul.

[Metta World Peace]

But that. That is. But again, like, two. Okay, so let me ask you.

[Ron Artest]

Take advantage of the rules.

[Metta World Peace]

Let me ask you, Michael. Colby plays today. You think they're going to flop the way they did, the way this guy does?

[Ron Artest]

I don't think so. But I do think if the ref. The rules wasn't like that, you couldn't even do that. You see what I'm saying? The rules was.

[Metta World Peace]

Watch this here. This is Caitlin. I'm only showing this against LeBron because she's from Indiana. I want to give you credit. But watch this. Boom. What does she do up? No foul. Okay. Oh, oh, oh.

[Adam Sosnick]

That was dirty.

[Ron Artest]

That was. That. Yeah, that one. That one. You might have to use a different one. I mean, maybe not. That's above the neck, though, you know?

[Metta World Peace]

Watch this. Watch this. Boom, boom, boom. Okay, what does she do? Boom.

[Ron Artest]

She's a different breed.

[Metta World Peace]

She, like, doesn't want you to think she's hurt.

[Ron Artest]

No, I love her.

[Metta World Peace]

Yo, that's tough. I mean, he punched her in the face.

[Ron Artest]

Caitlin's like, don't help me up. I love Caitlin. She's incredible.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. You see? And again, to me, look at this. Look at that.

[Ron Artest]

Let's see. But she.

[Metta World Peace]

Look at this. She got a hit upside that. Semi punched upside the head. And what does she do?

[Ron Artest]

She's getting her senses back.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. And so you can pause it right there. A part of me as a fan, and maybe this is just me as a fan, man. Dude, do you know, like I was telling this guy earlier, okay, so you're a hater. You're this, you're that. Well, I'm. I'm. I'm a. I'm a Kobe Die Hard Laker. I go back Ron. I go back. Cedelle Treat. I go back Van X, Anthony Peeler, lefty elbow. You know, I'm.

[Ron Artest]

That's how I am with the Bulls, like Will Perdue, Dickie Simpkins, like Wellington, all these guys.

[Metta World Peace]

But, you know, you watch it. I. I so want to come back to being a Die hard fan of the game. And it's just few things about it. Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

I think you might want to start watching. I think. I think if you want to come back to start watching the game? I think it's shifting. It's a huge shift right now. It's a huge shift. They're not calling fouls. You gotta watch some of these. I don't know if you watched the playoffs this year.

[Metta World Peace]

I did.

[Ron Artest]

And I don't know if you've seen the whole.

[Metta World Peace]

They're letting them play and I love it. They're letting them play.

[Ron Artest]

Slowly coming back.

[Metta World Peace]

They're letting them play. Yeah, that's a part.

[Ron Artest]

We gotta get it back to the American game. We can't like, yeah. Let over and foreign people come into the. Let them come play. Right. But it was a point in time when like Drogan Petrovich, where they earned. You seen Dragon get in somebody's face. He wasn't backing down. He came into the American game.

[Metta World Peace]

Did you play against him?

[Ron Artest]

I didn't play against.

[Metta World Peace]

He was a Jersey. He played for New Jersey.

[Ron Artest]

I would have overlapped it with him if he didn't. You know, he passed away early.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

But yeah, we gotta. We gotta get. We gotta get the American game.

[Metta World Peace]

The way they talk about him. Have you heard stories about Dragon, what they say about this guy?

[Ron Artest]

Like, incredible player now he was sick.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. Well, not only died in a car.

[Adam Sosnick]

Accident, I'm gonna say.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, it was. It was a rough situation. What happened with them.

[Adam Sosnick]

Incredible play right there.

[Metta World Peace]

So go ahead, Adam, I think you got a question.

[Adam Sosnick]

I think you were. You were alluding to. I don't want to put words in your mouth. You're saying that the European game is a little more soft than the American game. You're saying we want to get back to the American game. Yes, the European game.

[Ron Artest]

I'm not saying the European game. Soft is different. But we got to get in America. We got to get to our American.

[Adam Sosnick]

What do you think? Speaking of that, what do you think the. The reason is that only non Americans are winning the mvp?

[Ron Artest]

It's because it's been Jokic. Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Shay. It's been Giannis. Yeah, it's been. Who else has won it recently? Did Luca win an MVP or no?

[Ron Artest]

No.

[Adam Sosnick]

Okay. Giannis. Luca. No, sorry, not you. Luca.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Shay Jokic. Oh, Joel. Embiid. I want to say he was. He's Cameroon. I want to say. Point is, when's the last time that an American born player has won the mvp? What are your thoughts on the game change and less Americans being the man now?

[Ron Artest]

Cause in America we have a culture problem and it's seeping into our sports now. The culture problem is we're not on the same page. And because we're not on the same page, we good or bad, we rather not help each other and let someone else come in and creep up and grab territory, grab opportunity. This has happened outside of sports also, right? This happened outside of sports. And that's the problem with basketball is for example, we'll send our players overseas. We'll help the overseas players get better. They come back here. What do we do in America? We sent our grown men who just left college to go play against a 15 year old Luca, right. Because they playing overseas. But our 15 year old kids can't play pro. Well, who do you think is going to get better? The 15 year old kid playing against men. You see what I'm saying? And we're not, we're not collaborating with like former pros like myself and others to help the game. So for now we need to. It's too many gatekeepers in American sports. And you can see it now. We, you know, we're losing. I want to see us get back on top. Like I really enjoy the foreigners and foreign players. I enjoy it, but not at the expense of us. Give us a shot. For example, another example. If an American player goes overseas, only two or three people can play on a team. If overseas players come to America, you can have a whole team full of.

[Metta World Peace]

Overseas players called that's the maps. That's what Mark Cuban did.

[Ron Artest]

You can have a whole team full of overseas players. So now our American players can go overseas and maximize their dollar. Their, you know, right. Because there's no spot but they can come over here and make $100 million.

[Metta World Peace]

That's kind of like you know how the relationship between China and us with tariffs. Like China can come here, do business with everybody. But hey, you know, a lot of our companies can't do business in China and you know, they're not held to the same standards.

[Ron Artest]

I actually text my buddy rfk. I want to actually this is a huge. This is a really important issue if you love sports. You know I'm not a. This is an important issue to me. Where I need. We need to be on an even playing field, right? So now it's like this is actually, what do they call it? Not global, not tourism diplomacy. This is, this needs to be brought up. They got to open the borders in terms of. Give our American players an opportunity to go to China, Japan, Europe and open it up. Or now only two players could play.

[Adam Sosnick]

You're an open border guy.

[Ron Artest]

I'm chucking.

[Adam Sosnick]

Shut that thing down.

[Ron Artest]

Sports, sports, sports, sports, sports.

[Adam Sosnick]

I know, I'm joking. Can I give you another philosophy? I want to know what you think about this. Could it be that a lot of American players are way more focused on doing it for the gram than actually putting in the work? As an example, there's guys who made it to the NBA or never made it to the NBA, and they've been so focused on social media. There's a kid named Mikey.

[Metta World Peace]

Mikey.

[Adam Sosnick]

You've seen this kid?

[Ron Artest]

No, no.

[Adam Sosnick]

Mikey Williams. I want to say this kid had 5 million Instagram followers before he even made it to college. This kid.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Bronnie James. Talk about being coronated before you've done anything right. You know, there's another kid on Mari Bailey. A lot of these guys get famous because they could dunk, they could jump out the gym. They're getting millions of Instagram followers, but they don't develop a mid range. They're not playing D. That's, you know, they're, they're doing the, the dunk thing and maybe they're shooting threes and by the time they're 18, they're tatted up. They're just, you know, pseudo celebrities. I think this guy's literally in jail right now.

[Metta World Peace]

Are you serious?

[Adam Sosnick]

Find out Mikey Williams, where he's at right now. I think get suspended from a team. I don't know. I don't know what happened to him is my point.

[Ron Artest]

And this is, and this is the disconnect because it's too many.

[Adam Sosnick]

He avoided jail time after being arrested for firing a gun at a car full of people.

[Metta World Peace]

Are you joking?

[Adam Sosnick]

Okay, so here's a kid who's been talked about since he's a freshman as being the best player to come out of high school, but now where is he to be found? How much you think social media has been an effect on these young kids trying to get to the league?

[Ron Artest]

I think it's been an effect. I think also they got to lean on the veterans. There's veterans out there that played this game myself, others that can help these young players. But because there's so much money involved, they detach, they keep, keep it out, keep you away. And then they just, you know, you know, nurture these players. And we can't go in there and help. We, we should, us veterans that played, we should be in the. Hey, young fella, how you doing? Hey, young fella, how you doing? So, like I said, it's a culture. It's a total culture problem in sports that needs to be. If we want to see it get better.

[Adam Sosnick]

Also, this is my opinion. Might look at you and say, man, well, you don't know what it's like. Like, so, for instance, I always find it so shocking. Mikey, this kid's done nothing. 5 million followers. Then we have some guy, Steve Francis, one of the greatest point guards I've ever. Maybe has like 30, 000 Instagram followers.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

So don't be fooled by the grandmas.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, that's true.

[Metta World Peace]

I don't know. I don't know if that. That correlates to what. What I'm talking about with the league. I think it's a very different comparison of. Of combining what I'm saying, what happened with the NBA.

[Adam Sosnick]

No, no.

[Metta World Peace]

I want to see animosity. I want to see fight. I want to see confrontation. I want to see all. Ron, you know, it's funny. You. You. When was your rookie year? 99.

[Ron Artest]

99.

[Metta World Peace]

Rodman retired 2000. But you guys never played against each other.

[Ron Artest]

I'm so pissed at Rodman, man. The day I was going to play against Rodman, Mark Cuban released him because he got in trouble. I'm like, Rodman, I can't believe he did this day.

[Metta World Peace]

You're going to play against him. He released him and you never played against him?

[Ron Artest]

Maybe the day before, something like that, he got in trouble. They released him from the Mavs. And it was. I was just. I was ready to go see him. Robin's my favorite player. He's my favorite player. Robin.

[Metta World Peace]

91.

[Ron Artest]

Like, 91. 91. Like, it's quite a coincidence. I got suspended in Detroit, where he played at. But Rodman, I wanted to. I wanted to win a championship that year for Rodman. Reggie. And then also it was going to be Rodman.

[Metta World Peace]

Do you think right now, if the Indiana Pacers win, do you think Reggie deep now, like, do you guys. Steven, you. Reggie deep down inside. Do you want to see Pacers win?

[Ron Artest]

Yes. Now listen, let me tell you something. Yes, 100%. So when they win, we win. That's how we feel. We was all at the game yesterday. We all at the game, Everybody. Al Pacers was in the building. We got two more games and we need.

[Metta World Peace]

You were at the game yesterday?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. I came here for you. I'm leaving. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and go back to Indiana.

[Metta World Peace]

Dude, if you guys win, this is.

[Ron Artest]

No, we need to win. We're going to wear. Listen, that ring. It's going to be those players. If they win it, they don't know how good that's going to feel to us, we need them to win because then it's just going to validate who we were. If they don't win, then as an organization, as a collective, it's, you know.

[Metta World Peace]

It'S a similar style of a team, though. It's like it's a dog fight. It's not like if you ask the average person who's the second best player on the Pacers, they have to think about it. You got to think about it.

[Ron Artest]

It's a really cool. Carlisle is the guy. See, don't forget about Rick Carlisle. This is not taking anything away from the players, but Carlisle's the superstar here. We have a superstar. Wow. And let me tell you what's happening with the game since the game is going back old school because the malice.

[Metta World Peace]

At the palace was Carlisle.

[Ron Artest]

It's Carlisle.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, that is so ins. So fast.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, big.

[Metta World Peace]

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[Ron Artest]

This Father's Day at the Home Depot.

[Metta World Peace]

Summer is coming right to your door.

[Ron Artest]

With target circle 360.

[Metta World Peace]

Get all the season go tos at home with same day delivery Snacks for the pool party delivered. Sun lotion and towels for a beach day delivered. Pillows and lights to deck out the deck that too delivered just when you want them summer your way quick and easy.

[Ron Artest]

Join now and get all the summer.

[Metta World Peace]

Fun delivered right to your home with target circle360. Membership required, subject to terms and conditions applies to orders over $35. That is intense. To go from there. By the way, I pulled up some fun facts about you. Some of these things are pretty crazy. Okay. And you tell me if these are true or not. Okay? One by one by one. First one, did you really apply to work at Circuit City your rookie year? When you're working when you're playing for the Bulls just to get a discount?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah. Yes. And I was a good worker.

[Metta World Peace]

How much money was Bulls paying you? Were they not paying you enough to just stay?

[Ron Artest]

It wasn't that. Well, if you get in 999,000 year rookie contract after tax, it's, you know, it's not a lot of money. It's like, anybody that's getting $500,000 a year after tax, they're probably. They probably still have services, right? You have services. You know what I mean? You're not gonna stop working. Do you see how the perception. You think, wow, cause I'm in the NBA?

[Metta World Peace]

Did they know you're a bull? Like, when you're going there, Like, a Chicago Bulls guy made it in the NBA, is working at Circuit City. Like, what did they say? Interview.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, yeah. The guy was like, you serious? I said, yeah, I want to work at Circuit City after my practices.

[Metta World Peace]

How many hours? How many days did you work there? How long did you work there?

[Ron Artest]

I did it two days until it got in the media, and. And then Jerry Kraus is like, what are you doing working at Circuit City? I said, jerry, man, like, I got too much time on my hands. I need to.

[Metta World Peace]

Like, you cannot be doing this.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I.

[Metta World Peace]

So let me ask the next one here. Let me ask the next one here. So you were 37 with the Lakers to honor Michael Jackson's Thriller album. That was number one on the billboard for 37 weeks. Yes or no?

[Ron Artest]

Yes.

[Metta World Peace]

True.

[Ron Artest]

Definitely.

[Metta World Peace]

So you're a Michael Jackson guy.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, definitely. You know, I'm a Michael Jackson guy. I know he's been through a lot, and different things happen, but when you look at songs like Heal the World, Black or White, you know, that type of stuff is like. He really tried to give his all to the world. And it inspired me as a child to, like, want to be good, even. Like the song with the dolphin. What song was that?

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, Heal the World, make it a better place. No, no, no, no, no.

[Ron Artest]

The one.

[Metta World Peace]

It was Free Willy.

[Adam Sosnick]

What's the name of that song?

[Ron Artest]

Like those songs?

[Adam Sosnick]

Talking to them?

[Metta World Peace]

No, no, that's not it.

[Ron Artest]

Great.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah. William.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

The Free Willy, wonderful Free Willy song.

[Metta World Peace]

Type in Free Willy song.

[Ron Artest]

I did.

[Adam Sosnick]

That's what it came up.

[Metta World Peace]

That's what came up. It's a different song.

[Ron Artest]

No, that's not it. That's definitely not it.

[Adam Sosnick]

I'm trying to give.

[Metta World Peace]

No, you don't have it, bro. Don't do it, because we're gonna get flat.

[Ron Artest]

The dolphin song.

[Metta World Peace]

Dolphins.

[Ron Artest]

Maybe it was.

[Adam Sosnick]

No, the orca.

[Ron Artest]

The orchid.

[Metta World Peace]

Michael Jackson. One of a kind.

[Ron Artest]

Maybe it's down.

[Adam Sosnick]

I think that's it.

[Metta World Peace]

Okay, so I got another one for you.

[Ron Artest]

Maybe that's the name of it.

[Metta World Peace]

Actually, I got another one for you.

[Ron Artest]

Oh, yeah? Yeah. Will you.

[Adam Sosnick]

I think I'm right.

[Ron Artest]

But I forgot to, like. It's not in the hook. That's the name of the song, but it's not the hook. Usually the hook is in the song.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah. So I got another one for you. Is this true you once drank Hennessy at halftime while with the Bulls?

[Ron Artest]

Maybe, maybe not.

[Metta World Peace]

Well, you know, so.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, it was. Yeah, it was a wild day. Wild day.

[Metta World Peace]

Was it?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, it was a wild. I was really 21 years old. I was kind of very reckless at 21 years old, still in the NBA. In the NBA. I was. I was. I. I was a street mentality guy until, you know, I got older. When I got to Indiana, it was shifting. I was in therapy. And then as I got older, it was slowly shifting, and I was slowly. Now I'm just like in nerd. Completely different transition. Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

So next one here, your dad. Was your dad a Golden Gloves boxer and a Navy vet?

[Ron Artest]

My dad was a professional boxer. He's on boxrec.com. you type in Ron Artest with Muhammad Ali and all that, you'll see my dad at the very bottom. Two in one. He was. He was a great boxer. But then he had me, he met my mom, and. Yeah, type in Ronald Artest. There you go. Hey, dad. There you go. There you go.

[Metta World Peace]

That's cool.

[Ron Artest]

So, you know, couldn't even get a.

[Adam Sosnick]

Picture of him, though. Let's get something up there.

[Ron Artest]

He got knocked out once. He's two and all. He got knocked out once.

[Metta World Peace]

That's cool.

[Ron Artest]

So what happened was heavyweight. What year was that? 1976. He had me in 79, so he met my mom in 77, and he just stopped boxing. But he wouldn't have had me. So he's not, you know, you worked out okay. Be the girl.

[Metta World Peace]

Was he teaching you how to fight? Was he. Was he a guy that was like, hey, you got to learn how to defend yourself or no?

[Ron Artest]

So he never. So I would go with him to the boxing ring sometimes as a kid, but as I started to learn, he didn't want me boxing. So he started to hide boxing from me. He started to hide boxing from me because he didn't want me boxing. I wanted to be a boxer. So as he started to hide it, as I got older in the NBA, I said, dad, I want to box when I retire. So I was 24, right before the brawl, I said, dad, I want to box. I said, I want to give you four fights. And he got Angelo Dundee on the phone before Angelo. Angelo Dundee said, listen, you sure you want to fight? I said, yeah, but I said, it's going to take me 10 years because Mike Tyson, it took Mike Tyson about 10, 11 years ago to get to win. So I said, I'm definitely not doing it now. I want to do it when I'm 35. So I was going to train with Angelo Dundee. We talked about a lot of different things, but then the brawl happened. When the brawl happened, what year he, what year he passed away?

[Adam Sosnick]

2012.

[Ron Artest]

He passed away in 2012. Okay. Yup. So when the brawl happened, I didn't want to come out and say I was going to fight because I was going to actually come out that year and say I was going to fight. Bad timing, Bad timing. So I just said, were you a.

[Metta World Peace]

Tough guy when you were a kid? Were you a tough guy? We always fight. And like, when I talk to Tyson, Mike will say, you know, since he was nine years old, one time he, he just went like this. He says, I was afraid to fight. He says, one time I just went like this. Knock the guy out. The guy's dad comes and he knocks the dad out. At 10, 11 years old, young kid. But were you like a tough guy? Were you a fighter from the beginning?

[Ron Artest]

Like, nah, I was and I wasn't. I think, yeah, I did. I got suspended in pre K kindergarten every year in school. Pre K, Pre K, I got suspended. I fight in pre K. I fight in kindergarten.

[Metta World Peace]

I knew you were not a fighter if you got suspended in pre K, who gets suspended?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I think I was a fighter. Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Who were you in high school? Of course you're a star. You're a basket, you know, you're doing what you're doing in basketball, you know, you put on up the numbers. But in high school, if they go back, classmates, they're in class with you, who would you, who would they say? Ron was.

[Ron Artest]

High school was difficult. I went to all boys Catholic school, so I got suspended my first year, but then not no more after that. I did get suspended in the ninth grade, but then every year after that I didn't get suspended.

[Metta World Peace]

So then you didn't get in trouble?

[Ron Artest]

No, I was, I was pretty good. I was focused. I had a 60, I had a D average my first year in LaSalle Academy. Look at my freshman year, look at my face. I met. That's not you, that's me. I'm mad.

[Metta World Peace]

Is that really you?

[Ron Artest]

Mad for no reason.

[Adam Sosnick]

Is this in queens?

[Ron Artest]

This is LaSalle Academy. Second and second in Manhattan. Second street and Second Avenue.

[Adam Sosnick]

That summer, that year. Was that the same time that the movie He Got Game came out?

[Ron Artest]

Oh, around that time. Around that time. I forget what.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah, Ray Allen.

[Adam Sosnick]

Ray Allen, Jesus Shuttlesworth. They had a bunch of different.

[Metta World Peace]

I just watched that movie a couple months ago. What a great movie this is going.

[Adam Sosnick]

On in your city. They had a bunch of basketball, but 1998.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, that, that picture was 93, the one you just saw.

[Adam Sosnick]

No, I'm saying. But you, you were, you were in high school in 98 or you just graduated?

[Ron Artest]

I was in college.

[Adam Sosnick]

Okay, gotcha.

[Metta World Peace]

By the way, what was it like? Because I remember in, in 98 when, you know what. 97. When Felipe Lopez, right. They call him the Dominican Jordan cover of Sports Illustrator. Like this guy was supposed to be. Yeah. What happened with him? College and he comes in, plays a few seasons in the NBA. Four, five, six seasons. What happened to Felipe?

[Ron Artest]

Felipe should have went to the NBA out of high school because when he went to college, they started double teaming him. So his stock dropped. Then sophomore year, they put in more strategies. So now he should not leave. Didn't make the tournament. Then junior year, playing a little bit better. But now stock has dropped, other people are coming. And then senior year, I get there. I take him to the tournament for the first time ever. I get to St. John's and I bring Felipe to the NCAA tournament and he gets drafted number 26 in the NBA. He had a great NBA career actually, until he got hurt. He was. He was like a Bruce Bowen, but a better offensively. I mean, he played six years. He was about to sign a big deal and then he had a ACL tier. Wow. So he actually had a good career.

[Metta World Peace]

Really. So you would say he had a good career.

[Ron Artest]

He is, he was, he was having a good career. I mean, but two, I mean, only two points for.

[Metta World Peace]

I look at, I look at earnings. Earnings says 600,000. First year, Grizzlies. Second year, the Wizards. 831. Third year, Timber. Timberwolves. 565. Fourth year, Timberwolves. 637. Career total $2.63 million.

[Ron Artest]

Right. And after that, because he was a. He was a low pick. He was a first round pick. But after that they were going to sign him because he was playing well. What was his averages? That's his averages.

[Metta World Peace]

He was averaging nine, three rookie year. 4581-7425 career average to the right. Far to the right. 5.8 career.

[Adam Sosnick]

He wasn't getting buckets.

[Ron Artest]

Well, if you look at the year, he was averaging 7.

[Metta World Peace]

45% field goal percentage, 3.55, 56%.

[Ron Artest]

I feel like he played in a. I thought he played longer than that. Yeah, but you See him in the playoffs, like you go to the playoffs. He had four points. Like, he wasn't the best on those teams. 13 minutes. So you could do something with that. Yeah. Because you're not getting a lot of volumes. But the. How the organization sees it is this guy is a good piece. So you're not going to get Garnett money, but you can get a million, two, three million. So they was gonna. They was about to offer him a good deal.

[Metta World Peace]

By the way, similar thing happened. DeMarcus Cousins was gonna get paid. He was gonna get paid $120 million. That was a tough.

[Adam Sosnick]

He was incredible.

[Metta World Peace]

Oh, he was ridiculous. Did you see what happened with the game?

[Ron Artest]

I did.

[Metta World Peace]

Can you pull a video with the fight and what they. I don't know if you got that video or not.

[Adam Sosnick]

Rob, why is demarcus causes playing ball in Puerto Rico?

[Ron Artest]

People love the game, man. You gotta. If you can't play in the NBA, you could. You try to go overseas.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

You try to go to Israel, I love that. You try to go to Spain.

[Metta World Peace]

I love that.

[Ron Artest]

You'll try to go to Turkey.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

China. But those are not. Those are not available. It's.

[Metta World Peace]

It's great. It's such an innocent answer. People freaking love the game.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Can you play? Does something happen here?

[Adam Sosnick]

Now you got to go to the different angle right here. Yeah. Rob, see if you can do the angle that shows DeMarcus Cousins walking towards the fan. I don't know if you can find that.

[Metta World Peace]

This one?

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah. No, no, no, no. You gotta go. You gotta. This is.

[Metta World Peace]

This is the tail afterwards. Anyways. So he has. He has. What happens with him at the game?

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah, this is it right here. Watch this. A fan starts talking trash. He says, what?

[Metta World Peace]

Flipping them off.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

You can't do that. But he was really flipping him off as a fan. This is where. This is Puerto Rico. Wow. Flipping them off. That's insane.

[Adam Sosnick]

He comes after him.

[Metta World Peace]

That is. By the way, I don't know if I've seen fans stepping up and flipping.

[Adam Sosnick]

Off, you know, and then they escort him out. That's when they start pouring beer all over his head.

[Metta World Peace]

I was a big fan of this guy. I wanted to see him get paid. I wanted to see him, you know, he had one point. I think he averaged a season 28. Eight. Like he had a 20.

[Adam Sosnick]

He was incredible.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

This part right here, here's where it gets ugly now. Here's where it gets weird.

[Metta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Adam Sosnick]

Now he starts trying to tackle him.

[Metta World Peace]

You got to take.

[Ron Artest]

But what.

[Adam Sosnick]

What is the line that's drawn between fans talking smack versus.

[Metta World Peace]

No.

[Adam Sosnick]

You just crossed the line, dude. Now we get.

[Ron Artest]

Now you're talking about Europe. You're talking about out of America. This is. I mean, Puerto Rico is obviously. But you're talking about out of the mainland, where the rules are different. I was in Italy, and they. They throw coins at you and batteries when you're going to Europe. This is normal. This is like 30 years, 40 years.

[Adam Sosnick]

They're like soccer fans in a basketball stadium.

[Ron Artest]

Right, Exactly.

[Adam Sosnick]

But what do you think? Even in America, what do you think is crossing the line? Because we all know about smack talk. We stop talking trash.

[Ron Artest]

You suck.

[Adam Sosnick]

But at what point is like, oh, bro, you say something about my mom, we're gonna have a problem here.

[Ron Artest]

I think. I think back. Mama. Mama jokes. Crossing the line. I know. I got. Somebody told me my mom is a horror. I was at play. I was so mad. I was sitting here. I was in Detroit, actually, and Detroit, again, it was. But I was like, you know, this is normal. It's how the fans are.

[Adam Sosnick]

Yeah.

[Ron Artest]

Your mom is a. I'm like, what? Oh, I was so ready.

[Metta World Peace]

I mean, by the way, you hear stories about Peyton talking about your wife and your girl. You hear stories about Michael. That brought some stories about Michael. Yeah, there's some vicious stories about Michael. Some of these guys.

[Adam Sosnick]

That's player to player, though, right? Yeah, they can take it out on the court. I'm talking about a dude in the third row being like, you ain't.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, I think that's okay, but I.

[Adam Sosnick]

Think crossing the line at a certain point.

[Ron Artest]

No, if they're just talking, I think just talking is okay, obviously. I think if you do. I think racial slurs is, like. That's, like, too much. Of course, because that's come on, like. But I think everything else, like, you suck, you know, I think that's okay, but I think I'm throwing stuff. That's, of course.

[Adam Sosnick]

Didn't LeBron, like, approach a fan or try to get a fan?

[Metta World Peace]

He did. He got. He's gotten multiple fans ejected.

[Adam Sosnick]

They were saying something about, like, Westbrook did as well.

[Metta World Peace]

Westbrook did as well. But again, Adam. Yeah, there is. Touch me. Throw stuff at me from there on, bro. These are, again, I like to see the element. You go to UFC fight. Have you ever been to UFC fight?

[Ron Artest]

Oh, yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Okay, so you go to UFC fight. Dude. You know what they do at UFC fights? You know how crazy it is at UFC fights? Just boom, boom, boom. You leave. Insanity. Energy is ridiculous.

[Ron Artest]

This.

[Metta World Peace]

This got a little bit Soft. I hope Ron says this thing's going to come back. I'm following it this playoff season.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

Because finally it's just guys playing that just love the game and they want to win their first chip.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

It's going to be exciting to see what happened. Last question before we wrap up. Toughest guy you played against that was feared by everyone during your era who was. And I'm not talking toughest guy, like skill set. I'm talking like a. Like a gangster, tough guy enforcer. You hear stuff about Vernon Maxwell in the 90s. You hear stuff about, you know, some of the other guys from the 80s. Who was it in your era where.

[Ron Artest]

It'S like, these guys were tough in our era? I got in 99. I became really.

[Metta World Peace]

Because I know it was you.

[Ron Artest]

But outside of myself, I think Shaq. Shaq. Shaq is big, but Shaq was also tough. I don't think he ever crossed the line, but I think he also had that edge where if you cross the line against Shaq, he'll cross the line, too.

[Metta World Peace]

Remember his rookie season when he punched Alvin Robinson in the face?

[Ron Artest]

Right, right. Yeah.

[Metta World Peace]

And Alvin Robertson's not a lightweight. He had a quadruple double in. In the 80s at one point.

[Adam Sosnick]

Ironically enough, I think that happened again in Detroit.

[Metta World Peace]

That's it. Yeah, this is it.

[Adam Sosnick]

Well, I guess it's Orlando.

[Metta World Peace]

But again, have you seen this?

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, this is. This is nice.

[Metta World Peace]

I mean, watch it. So Lambert's getting was like, look, get off of me. And then Alvin's like, that was too much.

[Ron Artest]

And look, so Shaq is like, it's okay. But then at the end, look what. Look what Alvin does at the end. Yeah, like, that's disrespectful. He's like, yeah, I get Shaq.

[Adam Sosnick]

Oh, man.

[Ron Artest]

And then he's ready to get. I think he was. I don't know. He must. Well, Pistons had done well.

[Metta World Peace]

He's got to be a tough guy for Album's not backing down, though.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, Alvin was not backing.

[Metta World Peace]

Dude. Like, good for Alvin. Rob, you're going up against a guy. By the way, you see Scott Steels right there? You know what the record is?

[Ron Artest]

Scotty owns a record.

[Metta World Peace]

You know what the record is? The assist points in the most assist in a game. 31. 31 or 33.

[Ron Artest]

Still got it.

[Metta World Peace]

Still got it.

[Ron Artest]

Wow.

[Metta World Peace]

Is that not crazy? Can you validate that, Rob? That Scott.

[Adam Sosnick]

Dennis Scott right there. And that was from 93. March 30th of 1993.

[Metta World Peace]

Dude, that was. When was Shaq a rookie? 92 or 90?

[Ron Artest]

92.

[Metta World Peace]

I got his rookie card in 92, so this must be his second year.

[Adam Sosnick]

This is when the Pistons were on their way down and the boys.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, yeah, that's right.

[Metta World Peace]

But not Rodman though. Not Rodman though. Everybody else, except for Rodman. Rodman was something else. Yep, Rodman was something else. Well, Meta, it's been great having you on. I listen, when I reached out, I sincerely wanted to talk to you and it was nothing else. It wasn't like business anything. I just wanted to talk to you because all those years and it reminded me with the game we were at. I'm like, dude, this guy literally single handedly, if you lose to the Celtics, then you lose game seven. That is so. And at home that was gonna be so embarrassing. But no, Ron Artist was in the arena, brought it back and it was great to catch up with you and.

[Ron Artest]

Shout out to the Lakers, the bus family, you know, the front office, the players, you know, we love the Lakers, Los Angeles, and hopefully one of these.

[Metta World Peace]

Obviously, you know, Pacers got to do what they got to do. You guys got a week and a half to go to celebrate and I'm sure I'll see you if you guys win a championship, I'm sure I'm gonna see you on there celebrating with them. But then the other one we'll celebrate, hopefully is that the Knicks are going to give you a call and something like that.

[Ron Artest]

Yeah, that'd be nice. We're waiting, my man.

[Metta World Peace]

Appreciate you, brother. This was great.

[Ron Artest]

Thank you.

[Metta World Peace]

Take care, everybody. Bye bye, bye bye.

[Ron Artest]

Hey, what's up? I'm Metta World Peace, the chairman of our test management group. And now I am officially on my neck. I want you to reach out to me. I got a lot of things to offer. Whether you wanted to chat about sports, basketball on the business side, business development, consultation, brand strategy, foreign relations and more. I look forward to connecting with you on my neck.