He-Artest and Soul

When I was about 10-years-old, my dream was to play professional basketball. At 13, that dream changed to playing for Duke University; and, at 16, I finally knew what I wanted to do: become the sports journalist.

That last line (become the sports journalist) – wasn’t a typo; there’s a difference between ‘the journalist’ and ‘a journalist’. I wanted to be the best; to transcend the genre and make it better. I was willing to sacrifice a bigger paycheck outside of college, if it meant I could wake up everyday and do what I loved: watching, writing and talking about sports for a living.

I’m still embarking on that journey, and I’ve hit a few bumps along the road. My time in St. Petersburg, with my fellow Sports Journalism Institute (SJI) classmates and world-class editors, showed me what it meant to be a journalist. They helped me to understand what it meant to pay my dues, as well as to "be heard by listening," (I promise that’s my only Confucius-style line).

My experience at the SJI was humbling, but necessary; and, in the long run, it will make me a much better journalist than I would have ever been had I not had the opportunity to attend. Sitting at my desk this afternoon, reflecting on having had such a rewarding summer, I felt on top of the world! As a student, internships don't get much better than this: I love where I am and I love what I'm doing. Totally inspired to start writing my next piece, I began to think about my favorite subject, basketball, and who really transcends the game.

Ron Artest, small forward for the LA Lakers, has been labeled as a ‘bad guy’ in the league ever since the brawl at The Palace in Detroit. I see him differently. The Artest I see loves the game with a fervor and passion that is unparalleled by any other player. He’s not as athletic as LeBron, nor as skilled/cerebral as Kobe, but he loves his craft just as much - if not more.








Just check out the Q & A he did for ESPN the Magazine (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5417748). I assure anyone who reads it, this article will teach a person more about Ron Artest than the fight in Detroit would.

After that incident, people often asked, “What would Ron Artest do without basketball?” I’d like to ask them, “What would basketball be without Artest?”

He exemplifies the game in its purest form: fun. Sure, this is his job and he has made business decisions in the past to prove that; but, who has more fun playing than Ron-Ron? Did you see his post-game conference after Game 7 of the NBA Finals? He looked like he had just lost his virginity or something. He was exhausted, excited, speechless, and couldn’t stop smiling - all at the same time.



When he’s on the court, he has fun. He’s not the angry, tortured athlete that he once was for Indiana. Sure, his bleached hair during the NBA Finals reminded you of Samuel L. Jackson’s ghastly hairstyle in the movie “Jumper”; but, you couldn’t turn away from watching him play.

Just yesterday, I spent half my life reading a Bill Simmons blog/dissertation on the boredom MLB fans have to endure, especially in Boston. Guys like Ron Artest prevent that from happening in the NBA. Not all the attention he gets is good attention, but he almost always means well.

At the Sacramento Bee’s weekly intern lunch today, we got to speak with columnist, Ailene Voisin. She said, “Ron Artest is one of the most genuine, all-around, good guys you’ll ever meet.”

I couldn’t agree with her more (although, I never met him).

How can you not absolutely love this guy? He’s not shy towards the media nor his teammates, and he has provided some of my favorite quotes of all-time.

Would you have guessed, in a million years, that his favorite movie would be “Titanic”? How about the fact that his dream collaboration for his next song is Celine Dion? I dare you to drive to Queensbridge, NY with a copy of Titanic and a lifetime collection of Celine Dion CDs and just see if you make it out alive.

The individualism that he brings to basketball, without losing the teamwork aspect of his game, is what makes him different. The haircuts, tattoos, pre- and post-game press conferences, all contribute to what makes him one-of-a-kind.










He’s one of the few players with his own personality. The only person who Artest changes for is himself – oh, and also his family (but that’s like, a group). He is who he is and I love him for it. He paid his dues in having played for bad teams, and has made some bad decisions; but he has been rewarded later in life.

In a day where most athletes say one thing and do another, my favorite quality about Artest is his honesty. I’m a ‘keep-it-real’ kind of guy. Ron Artest keeps it realer than anyone else in the NBA today.

“When you need a stop, who you going to call?” Artest said in the ESPN the Magazine Q&A. “Not the goddamn Ghostbusters, I'll tell you that. You call me.”

Ron Artest might not be the face of the NBA, and he’s definitely not its best player; but he is, by all means, its heart and soul.

No doubt, he is one of the many athletes that inspire me to become the sports journalist.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401