Ron Artest shared his most intimate thoughts and memories with the Sporting News.
Here are some excerpts, the most starting being his admission that he drank cognac during halftime of Bulls games.
Warning – just reading these might make you lose your mind.
In a lengthy interview for the December 7 issue of Sporting News
magazine, Artest—best known as the central figure in the infamous
Malice at the Palace in 2004—bared all, including a startling admission
that he drank alcohol during games as a member of the Chicago Bulls,
for whom he played from 1999-2002.
"I used to drink Hennessy … at halftime," Artest says in the
interview, which hits newsstands this week. "I (kept it) in my locker.
I'd just walk to the liquor store (near the stadium) and get it."
On his life as a St. John's star and a first-round draft pick:
was wild. A lot of marijuana and alcohol—even before (that age). … I
(still) party and I have fun, but not like I used to. I used to drink
every night and party every night."
On why things didn't work out in Chicago and Indiana:
fault. The first team, in Chicago, I was a head case. I worked really
hard but still had this ghetto thing in me that I could not get out. …
I could've stayed at Indiana my whole career, but I said I wanted to be
traded. I was getting more stable, but I was still unstable and I was a
bad teammate. They had to get rid of me."
On page 2, Artest shares his thoughts about the Palace brawl and the player he's always in the mood to fight.
On the 2004 brawl in Detroit:
anything I could have done different. The only thing I could have done
was have God pause time so I could have said, 'Oh, look, you're about
to run in some stands, so stop.'"
On his feelings toward Ben Wallace, the Pistons center whose
altercation with Artest touched off the melee in Detroit:
I'm on my guard now. I'm always in the mood to fight him. … I'll get
suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I'll just fight him right there.
It won't go into the stands."
Surprised? You shouldn't be. This guy is certifiable.
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