There was once a time when handing Ron Artest the key to Las Vegas was as bad an idea as handing Tiger Woods a roll of singles in Olympic Gardens.
Things have certainly changed.
Artest, once the poster child for everything that was wrong with the NBA, is now seen as a champion on the court and a champion of mental health off of it. Tonight, as the Lakers prepare to take on the Sacramento Kings in Sin City, Ron Ron will be presented with the key to Las Vegas. The honor is being bestowed on Artest due to his efforts to raise mental health awareness.
Good for Artest but better for his cause. Ron Artest is truly the embodiment of the American dream. The QB representer has almost made the Malice in the Palace an afterthought. Safe to say that now at days more people see Ron for his charisma and drive than his once notorious temper and unstable personality.
In addition, October 12th will officially be known as “Ron Artest Day”.
Hard to believe when you consider just how far his star had fallen only a few years ago. Artest’s life story will surely one day make for a great book and – if he plays his Hollywood cards right – a fascinating, if not unbelievable, movie.
Congrats to Ron Artest on such a great honor! He certainly is a credit to his cause and to the Laker franchise as well. As Artest now knows all too well, good things happen when you’re fighting for a good cause and sporting Purple and Gold for a living.
"“That’s what comes with winning and doing good things and being a Laker.”"
What can I say? It’s good to be a Laker.