
 
 
 
 HOW ACQUIRED: Signed by the Lakers as a free agent July 7, 2009. 
 
 
 
 CAREER: Selected by Chicago in the first round (16th overall) of the 1999 NBA Draft after his sophomore season at St. John’s ... Acquired by the Indiana Pacers along with Ron Mercer, Brad Miller and Kevin Ollie from the Bulls in exchange for Travis Best, Norman Richardson, Jalen Rose and a conditional second round pick 2/19/02 ... Acquired by Sacramento from the Pacers for Peja Stojakovic 1/25/06 ... Acquired by Houston along with Patrick Ewing Jr. and Sean Singletary from the Kings in exchange for Bobby Jackson, Donte Greene, the Rockets 2009 first-round draft pick and other considerations ... Broke Michael Jordan’s record for most steals by a player in their first two NBA seasons (271) ... Has finished among the top- five in the NBA in steals per game five times in his career (2nd in 2001-02, 2nd in 2002-03, 3rd in 2003-04, T-2nd in 2006-07 and T-2nd in 2007-08) ... Has led or tied for the team lead in steals in 11 of his 13 NBA seasons, recording at least 100 thefts in all but two campaigns (2004-05, 2011-12) ... Scored 20-plus points in 205 career games and tallied 30 or more points 22 times ... Has posted 34 career double-doubles ... 2010 NBA Champion ... Voted the 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year ... Chosen All-NBA Third Team once (2004) ... Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2004, 2006) and Second Team twice (2003, 2009) ... Appeared in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles (2/15/04) as a member of the Pacers, posting seven points (3-5 FG, 0-1 3FG, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists and a steal in 17 minutes ... Named to the 1999-2000 Schick All-Rookie Second Team ... Earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors on three occasions with the Pacers (Nov. 11-17, 2002; Nov. 3-9, 2003; Mar. 22-28, 2004) ... Recipient of the 2011 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. 
 
 
 
 2011-12: Appeared in 64 games (45 starts), averaging 7.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.08 steals and 0.42 blocks in 26.9 minutes ... Scored 10+ points 18 times and 20+ points once ... Led team in points once, assists three times, steals 26 times and blocks four times ... Finished season with 1,544 career steals, tied for 31st on the NBA’s all-time list ... Ranked among league leaders in steals (38th/1.08) ... Tallied nine points, four rebounds and five assists while swiping his 1,500th career steal 2/23 at Oklahoma City ... Posted nine points, a season-high nine rebounds and two blocks 3/29 vs. Oklahoma City ... Scored 23 points (8-13 FG) 4/6 vs. Houston ... Scored 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting 4/7 at Phoenix ... Scored a season-high 26 points (10-15 FG, 5-8 3FG) 4/11 at San Antonio ... Posted 14 points, eight rebounds and a season-high five steals 4/13 vs. Denver ... Tallied 18 points and a season-high nine assists 4/18 at Golden State ... Missed one game (4/26 at Sacramento) due to NBA suspension ... In six playoff games (six starts), averaged 11.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.17 steals in 39.3 minutes. 
 
 
 
 2010-11: Appeared in all 82 games (82 starts), averaging 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.51 steals in 29.4 minutes ... Scored 10+ points 34 times and 20+ points once ... Led team in points twice, assists seven times, steals 34 times, blocks 10 times and minutes four times ... Ranked among league leaders in steals (12th/1.51) ... Grabbed a season-high tying nine rebounds 1/9 vs. New York ... Tallied 10 points and a season-high seven assists 1/12 at Golden State ... Scored 11,000th career point 2/11 at New York ... Finished with a season-high 24 points (8-13 FG, 5-6 3FG, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals 2/23 at Portland ... Totaled nine points, a season-high tying nine rebounds and three steals 3/10 at Miami ... Totaled 18 points, five rebounds and three steals 3/22 vs. Phoenix ... Posted nine points, seven rebounds, three steals and a career-high tying four blocks 4/5 vs. Utah ... Totaled 14 points and eight rebounds 4/8 at Portland... Posted 5th 4-steal game of the season 4/13 at Sacramento ... In nine playoff games, averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.11 steals in 31.9 minutes. 
 
 
 
 2009-10: Appeared in 77 games (77 starts), averaging 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.38 steals in 33.8 minutes … Recorded one double-double on the year … Scored 10+ points 47 times and 20+ points four times … Led team in points three times, assists 14 times, steals 26 times, blocks four times and minutes 10 times … Ranked among league leaders in steals (20th/1.38) … Totaled 20 points (6-8 FG), six assists and five steals 11/3 at Oklahoma City … Posted 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists 11/6 vs. Memphis … Tallied a season-high tying 22 points, six rebounds and three steals 11/15 vs. Houston … Posted 15 points, five assists and five steals 12/6 vs. Phoenix … Recorded 10,000th career point and 2,000th career assist 12/12 at Utah … Finished with 14 points, five rebounds and season-highs in assists (9) and steals (6) 12/20 at Detroit ... Totaled 16 points (5-5 FG) and a season-high 11 rebounds 1/13 at Dallas … Scored 21 points (9-12 FG) 2/6 at Portland … Recorded 17 points and a season-high tying 6 steals 2/28 vs. Denver, before posting back-to-back 5 steal games 3/2 vs. Indiana and 3/4 at Miami, becoming the first Laker to post three consecutive games with five or more steals since Magic Johnson in 1981 … Posted 16 points, eight rebounds and five steals 3/24 at San Antonio … Scored a season-high tying 22 points 4/8 at Denver… Missed five games (12/26-1/3) with a laceration to head and left elbow ... In 23 postseason games, averaged 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.52 steals ... Scored 20 points (4-7 3FG) 5/8 @ UTAH … Scored game-winning put-back layup at the buzzer 5/27 vs. Phoenix … Posted 25 points (10-16 FG) and three steals 5/29 at Phoenix … Posted 20 points, five rebounds and a playoff career-high five steals in Game 7 of the NBA Finals 6/17 vs. Boston. 
 
 
 
 2008-09: Earned Second-Team All Defensive honors ... In 69 games (55 starts), averaged 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.52 steals in 35.5 minutes … DND for four games (12/8/08; 1/3/09-1/6/09; 1/9/09) and was on the inactive list for nine games (12/12/08-12/13/08; 12/26/08; 1/10/09-1/23/09) with a sore right ankle and moderate to severe bone bruise in the ankle … Set single-season career highs in 3-point field goals made and attempted (.399, 153-383 3FG) … Led team in steals (105) ... Recorded 24 20-point performances and one 30-point outing, leading the team in scoring on 20 occasions … Posted three double-doubles ... Totaled 17 points and 11 rebounds 11/17 at Oklahoma City ... Posted a second consecutive double-double with 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds 11/19 vs. Dallas ... Totaled a game-high 27 points (10-17 FG, 4-6 3FG), seven rebounds and season-high tying seven assists 1/31 vs. Golden State ... Recorded a season-high 32 points (13-24 FG) 2/28 at Chicago including a career-best 6-of-12 performance from beyond the arc … Totaled a season-high six steals 3/11 vs. L.A. Lakers ... Posted 13 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high-tying seven assists 3/24 at Utah … Averaged 15.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.08 steals in 13 postseason games with Houston. 
 
 
 
 2007-08: Averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 57 games (54 starts) with Sacramento … Recorded 133 total steals, ranking him tied for second in the league in steals per game (2.33) … Was one of only six players in the NBA to average at least 20 points and two or more steals per game … Missed first seven games of the season due to an NBA suspension (10/31/07-11/12/07) … NWT (personal reasons) for one game (11/21/07) … DND (bone chip in right elbow) for two games (12/28/07-12/30/07) … Missed seven games (1/2/08-1/14/08) after surgery on right elbow … DND (sore right foot) for two games (3/5/08-3/7/08) … DND (sore right elbow) for one game (3/22/08) … DND (sprained left thumb) for five games (4/5/08; 4/8/08-4/11/08; 4/14/08-4/15/08) … Recorded 35 outings of 20-plus points and four 30-point performances (33 on 11/20/07 vs. Phoenix, 30 on 2/13/08 at Houston, 32 on 3/2/08 vs. Miami, 30 on 4/1/08 vs. Houston) … Grabbed 10 or more rebounds in five games and dished out at least 10 assists once to finish with six double-doubles on the season … Tallied a season-high 33 points (12-23 FG, 3-5 3FG), 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals 11/20 vs. Phoenix … Handed out a career-best 11 assists with five steals 12/8 at Denver … Matched career-high with four blocks 12/10 vs. Milwaukee … Grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds to go along with 23 points, three steals and two blocks 2/9 at Golden State ... Totaled six steals in a game twice (3/13/08 vs. Portland and 3/26/08 vs. Memphis). 
 
 
 
 2006-07: Averaged 18.8 points, a career-high 6.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.13 steals and 37.7 minutes in 70 games (65 starts) … Finished tied for second in the NBA in steals per game … Missed three games due to a lower back strain (11/24/06-12/5/06), one game with a sore lower back (12/2/06), three contests with sore knees (12/21/06-12/22/06, 12/28/06), and one contest due to personal reasons (2/25/07) … Excused by the team for two games (3/6/07-3/8/07) … Missed another game due to travel complications (3/22/07) and one with a sore left hamstring (4/11/07) … Tallied 20 or more points 31 times and scored 30-plus points on eight occasions … Grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 11 contests … Handed out 10-plus assists once … Recorded 11 double-doubles … Collected four or more steals in 15 contests and tallied at least five thefts eight times … Accumulated a season-high seven steals to go with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists 11/1 at Minnesota … Grabbed a season-best 13 rebounds to go with 22 points 11/3 at Chicago … Scored a career-best 39 points (15-22 FG, 3-5 3FG) 1/2 vs. New York while adding eight rebounds and five steals … Posted a team-high 34 points (11-18 FG, 4-6 3FG) 1/13 vs. Houston … Finished with a game-high 36 points (15-23 FG, 2-4 3FG) 1/24 vs. Milwaukee … Equaled a career-high with 39 points (12-23 FG, 5-7 3FG, 10-11 FT) 2/13 at Houston … Posted game-highs of 32 points (9-17 FG, 4-6 3FG, 10-13 FT) and 11 rebounds 3/16 at Miami … Handed out a season-high 10 assists 4/15 at LA Clippers. 
 
 
 
 2005-06: Earned First-Team All-Defensive honors, finishing fourth in balloting for Defensive Player of the Year … Posted averages of 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.18 steals and 39.4 minutes in 56 games (16 with Indiana and 40 with Sacramento) … Guided the Kings to a 26-14 record to finish the season and a playoff berth after being acquired from the Pacers on Jan. 26 ... Posted averages of 17.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in five playoff games with the Kings. 
 
 
 
 2004-05: Started seven games with Indiana, averaging 24.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.71 steals before being suspended for the remainder of the season for involvement in an incident at the end of the game at Detroit (11/19/04) … Scored 31 points in the season opener 11/3 at Cleveland … Scored his 5,000th career point 11/12 at Philadelphia. 
 
 
 
 2003-04: Averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.08 steals in 73 games (71 starts) with Indiana … Voted the 2003-04 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team … Appeared in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game and was chosen All-NBA Third Team … Finished third in the NBA in steals (first among forwards) … One of only four players in the NBA to swipe more than 150 steals … Scored 20-plus points in 37 contests, leading the Pacers to a 32-5 record in those games … Tied a career-high with four blocks 11/28 vs. Philadelphia … Recorded a career-high-tying eight steals 3/24 vs. Dallas … Scored a season-high 35 points 3/26 at Orlando ... Averaged 18.4 points, 6.5 boards, 3.2 assists and 1.40 steals in 15 postseason games ... Posted 20.3 points per game vs. Boston in the opening round and a team-high 21.3 scoring average in the Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Miami … Notched a playoff-career-high 28 points and a team-high eight rebounds 5/12 vs. Miami … Tallied a game-high 27 points, six rebounds and three blocks 5/18 at Miami … Averaged 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.00 steals in six games vs. Detroit ... Recorded double-doubles in Games 4, 5 and 6 of the Pistons series, as well as a playoff career-high 11 rebounds 5/30 at Detroit. 
 
 
 
 2002-03: Averaged 15.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.30 steals in 69 games (67 starts) with Indiana … Was runner-up to Detroit's Ben Wallace for NBA Defensive Player of the Year … Finished second in the NBA in steals per game and was named to the All-Defensive Second Team … Ranked in the top-10 in steals-per-turnover ratio (1.10) and was the league leader in steals per 48 minutes played (3.29) ... Averaged 19.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.50 steals in six postseason games with Indiana … Scored 20-plus points in four games against Boston … Posted first career playoff double-double with 26 points (7-15 FG, 2-3 3FG, 10-11 FT), 10 rebounds and four blocks in Game Five 4/29 at Boston. 
 
 
 
 2001-02: Posted averages of 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.36 steals in 28 contests (24 starts) for the Pacers after being traded from the Bulls on Feb. 19 … Registered 24 points, nine assists, nine rebounds and eight steals vs. Miami (3/31/02), nearly becoming the fifth player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double … Averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.78 steals in 27 games (26 starts) for Chicago before the trade … Missed the first 23 contests of the season with a broken right ring finger … Ranked second in the NBA with a career-high 2.56 steals per game and was second in steals-per-turnover ratio (1.19) ... Recorded averages of 11.8 points, 6.0 boards, 3.2 assists and 2.60 steals in five playoff games with the Pacers … Totaled 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in his postseason debut 4/20 at New Jersey. 
 
 
 
 2000-01: Averaged 11.9 points, 3.9 boards, 3.0 assists and 2.00 steals in 76 games (74 starts) with Chicago … Ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game … Overall, registered 271 steals and 103 3-point field goals over his first two seasons with the Bulls, which at the time were the highest totals in the first two seasons by any player ever drafted by Chicago. 1999-00: Made the Schick All-Rookie Second Team … Finished with averages of 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.65 steals in 72 games (63 starts) with the Bulls. 
 
 
 
 COLLEGE: Averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.20 blocks and 1.90 steals in 69 games over two seasons at St. John's, leading the Red Storm to a 50-19 record … Earned First-Team All-Big East accolades, was a Wooden Award finalist and was named Third-Team All-American by The Associated Press, Basketball Times and the NABC as a sophomore … Also named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association District II Player of the Year in 1998-99 after leading St. John's to the NCAA Regional Finals, which was the school's best showing in the NCAA Tournament since 1991 … Moved into the St. John's single-season record book in his sophomore year, ranking fourth in 3-pointers made in a season (58), fourth in steals (76) and 10th in blocked shots (44) … Posted the 2nd triple-double in school history with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists vs. Seton Hall … Averaged 11.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.60 steals as a freshman, earning Big East All-Rookie and All-Big East Tournament honors in 1997-98. 
 
 
 
 ||||| Ron Artest, the 30-year-old, first-year starter with the Los Angeles Lakers, may yet prove to be a crucial piece of an improved championship puzzle. 
 
 But those who are counting on one of the league's most explosive personalities to avoid controversy with his fifth NBA team may want to temper their expectations. 
 
 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." 
 
 Artest speaks openly in the interview on many other sensitive topics. 
 
 Ron Artest admitted that he was a 'head case' when he broke into the NBA with the Bulls. 
 
 On why things fell apart for him in Chicago and Indiana: "It was all my 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 the 2004 brawl in Detroit for which Artest was suspended 73 games and lost $7 million in salary: "It wasn't my fault. … I don't see 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 the Rockets' loss to the Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference semifinals: "(Referee) Joey Crawford basically said, 'Who cares about the Houston Rockets? Kobe Bryant is on the floor.'" 
 
 On comparisons with Trevor Ariza, the player he replaced at small forward in the Lakers' starting lineup: "I really don't understand why people compare me to him, or try. With what I've done in this league already, I mean, seriously? … I think it's the hype behind (a championship)." 
 
 On accepting a role in Bryant's supporting cast: "It's weird because people don't think about the whole basketball game. There's offense: Kobe averages 30 and is a great offensive player. Then you have defense. So on defense, now I have my supporting cast. … I'm one of the best defenders to ever play basketball, so I'm still the first option on defense." 
 
 On his feelings toward Ben Wallace, the Pistons center whose altercation with Artest touched off the melee in Detroit: "I see Ben, 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." 
 
 Artest also reveals his plans to become a professional boxer: "I started training two years ago," he says. "In four years, I'm going to try to have my first fight." 
 
 But the comments that may follow him most closely in the coming weeks are about drinking alcohol during games early in his career, which Artest says happened in part because the Bulls lost so often. 
 
 Previously, Artest hid any use of alcohol and marijuana well, according to his former coach at St. John's, Fran Fraschilla. 
 
 "It's a surprise because every day at practice, he came out in a mood to play. He came out in a basketball rage," said Fraschilla, now an analyst for ESPN. "He was fully committed; he wanted to let our upperclassmen know that he was the alpha male. 
 
 "It never came up that he had any sort of a problem with alcohol. This is the first I've heard of it." 
 
 Steve Greenberg is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at sgreenberg@sportingnews.com. 
 
 The full version of this story appeared in the Dec. 7 edition of Sporting News magazine. If you are not receiving the magazine, subscribe today, or pick up a copy, available at most Barnes & Noble, Borders and Hudson Retail outlets.
– Ron Artest drank cognac during games in his first few NBA seasons with the Chicago Bulls, the volatile forward tells the Sporting News. “I used to drink Hennessy … at halftime,” Artest, now 30 and with the Los Angeles Lakers, says. “I (kept it) in my locker. I’d just walk to the liquor store (near the stadium) and get it.” More nuggets from the conversation: On the 2004 brawl in Detroit, the so-called “Malice at the Palace”: “It wasn't my fault. … I don’t see 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 early stints in Chicago and Indiana: “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.”