Ron Artest aka Metta World Peace still leaving people speechless at age 32…

“I’m just — I’m most happy that Jesus Christ did not let me lose my teeth when I was 20 years old. ‘Cause I was wondering, like, what if you kept your baby teeth until the age of 18 or 20 and then you lose ‘em? That would look pretty bad. So I just think he’s really brilliant, that you lose your teeth when you’re a baby rather than losing them when you’re like 30 or 20. That has nothing to do with your question, but that was definitely on my mind.”

Source – BDL

Game Seven MKTG, Nike Basketball, and myself are not lying when we say that #TeamNIKE vs Team Ooh Way Records on Wednesday (7/20) will be the streetball game of the decade. With the NBA in full lockout mode, this is the next highest level of competition we will get for a while.  Peep Jadakiss and Cory Gunz explain who each time will be bringing…

Game of The Decade: Ooh Way Records’ Corey “Homicide” Williams and rapper Jadakiss scout Team NIKE’s recent blowout wins and are impressed with what they see. The Boys in Black are at a comfortable 5-0 record and their team chemistry is at an all time high. While Team NIKE is sitting pretty at the top of the Dyckman standings, Ooh Way Records isn’t scared as they’re carrying a full arsenal of talent. Ooh Way Records’ Tony Rosa, Oun P, Sunny, and Cory Gunz (Young Money artist and friend of Homicide) preview the players that will be suiting up opposite of Team NIKE that includes Homicide, Ron “Metta World Peace” Artest, Dwight “Top Shelf” Hardy, Darren “DP” Phillip, Jeremy Hazell and Nakia “Fabulous” Miller. Streetball history will be made at Dyckman Park on July 20, 2011. Where else would you wanna be?

www.nikebasketball.com

You saw the behind the scenes footage with Kevin Love and Blake Griffin, now here is the skit they were working on for last night’s ESPY Awards. Some funny appearances by Adrian Peterson, Tyson Chandler, and Ron Artest aka Metta World Peace aka Metta World Dad as well.  Hopefully they won’t be needing the work for much longer…

Ron Artest aka Metta World Peace and Corey “Homicide” Williams make their first (of many) appearances in the #TeamNIKE webisode series.  Things are about to get real crazy this summer…

Lights Are On, Time To Perform: Keydren “Kee Kee” Clark finally gets his Team NIKE uniform as the 2-0 crew take on the young and hungry JTA squad. The Boys in Black face their first real test from their feisty Dyckman opponents, but Kee Kee comes through in the clutch with a couple of big shots to put JTA away. One of the team’s veteran leaders, Anthony “I Robot” Glover, and his wife, reflect on what was needed to pull out that victory. As Team NIKE improves to an undefeated 3-0 record, trouble begins to surface as a new heavyweight challenge appears in the horizon. Team Ooh Way looks to be another juggernaut squad; loaded with talent and even equipped with their own theme music.

Source – NikeBasketball

A handful of Ron Artest fanatics who also happen to be artists located in Toronto held an Art Exhibit titled Lovable Badass over the weekend which included some awesome Ron Artest inspired art.  Hit the jump to see the rest of the art which includes a few autographed pieces (like the one seen above), when Ron Ron actually came through.

Less than 10 years ago I wouldn’t have followed Ron Artest across the street because no 14 year old belongs in a liquor store. A lot has changed since then because Artest has become a great success story after having a rocky start to his NBA career. We all remember the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills six years ago. It was perhaps the lowest moment in the history of the NBA and Artest was at the center of it all. The brawl was followed by a 73 game suspension(86 with playoffs), but even worse he was rightfully labeled a “thug”.

Gilbert Arenas is in a similar situation after being suspended for the remaining 50 games of the 2009-2010 season following an incident where he drew a gun on teammate Javaris Crittenton in the Washington Wizards’ locker room. Many people have forgotten about his superstar talent and only see him as a ticking time bomb who serves as nothing but a distraction. If anyone knows how Arenas feels right now it’s Ron Artest, and as weird as this sounds, it’s time for Arenas to start following in the
footsteps of Ron Ron himself.

Like Artest, Arenas’ process of changing his reputation won’t officially begin until he gets out of Washington. Think of this situation as rehab and it’s like everyone in the organization is in denial right now. It’s unrealistic to believe that Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards will work out in the long term. The talented John Wall is off to a great start in his rookie season and will be the Wizards’ franchise player for many years to come. Although different styles, they basically play the same position and both players are at their best when running the show from the point.

I was one of the critics saying the Wizards should have traded Arenas during the offseason. His big contract could be an issue but there’s a number of struggling teams right now sitting on a lot of money. The Bobcats or the Knicks would have been great places for him to restart his career, and the Bobcats could still use a veteran point guard with a lot left in the tank. It would be risky for a title contender, but a top tier point guard may be the missing piece for the Orlando Magic. Look at what you have in the NFL right now with Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s the case of a former superstar becoming a superstar again and the Eagles are looking more and more like a Super Bowl contender every week.

One thing that Arenas has already struggled with since returning from his suspension is trying to keep his personality without without crossing a line.  Artest made sure he stayed true to himself during his comeback and that’s important because people knew he wasn’t faking his transformation from a laughable loser to a laughable winner. Arenas doesn’t quite understand that he doesn’t have to do something stupid and illegal to be himself. Remain Agent 0, but stay within the confines of the handbook.

The journey to becoming a better man is almost complete when you get picked up by a title contender. Artest’s public image has done a complete 180 since joining the Lakers in 2009. Being associated with winning changes everything in sports. Then if you can help your team win a championship, you can go back to doing stupid things like driving around LA in an unregistered racecar, and no one will judge you.

Follow me on Twitter: @jonithom

After the Celtics took care of business against the new look Miami Heat on the NBA’s opening night, the Los Angeles Lakers accepted their 2009-2010 NBA Championship rings in front of a rocking L.A. crowd.  It was cool see Phil Jackson shout out the former Lakers as well as each player give their teammates a nice little introduction.

Nothing to see here except Ron Artest in some bball shorts, slippers, a cowboy hat, and a fake beard on last night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.  What followed?  Some Ron Artest Let’s Do It iPhone App promotion, Ron Ron and Kimmel throwing the pigskin around, Ron confessing his love for Celine Dion, and other types of madness.  Part two is after the jump.

DJ Steve Porter and ESPN’s Sportsnation just blessed the world with Press Hop 2 complete with cameos from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, Ron Artest, Randy Moss, Allen Iverson, Deion Sanders, Mike Tyson, and more.  This one was pretty funny but nothing DJ Steve Porter makes will EVER top the original Press Hop.

Interviewing himself is just an everyday thing for Ron Artest, ESPN just happened to catch him on camera this time. Ron and Ron talk about this past season, how he wants to teach math, his dream collaboration with Celine Dion, and the many great reasons why #37 is his favorite jersey number he’s ever wore.