Ron Artest was one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. He displayed a relentless defensive approach and had the natural talent to know what to do when playing against the most talented scorers, which led to him winning the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year award.
Despite his knack for playing suffocating D, his explosive personality turned some people off. This unpredictability sometimes posed challenges for other coaches and teammates. However, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Coach Phil Jackson effectively managed Artest's strong persona and provided the encouragement he needed.
"Phil Jackson is the only person these days who can truly get under my skin. And he gets under my skin 80% of the time. Phil totally controls me. In practice, he'll always joke about me and bother me, saying stuff about my shoes or whatever," Artest said to ESPN. "All season, he'd say, 'Ron can't shoot.' But after Game 4 of the Finals, when we were tied at two, he changed his tune. He came to me and said, 'Ron, I need you to play your game. You have to make plays.' Oh, man. I was so happy!"
Artest responded well with his performance for the Lakers
After bouncing around the league for the first ten years of his career, Artest showed plenty of potential as a defensive stopper and a reliable offensive player when needed. That made him a polarizing player because he was good, but the attitude issues were a sticking point.
When he got to the Lakers, Ron knew this was his golden opportunity to win a championship after ten years of trying with good teams.
Thankfully, the Lakers embraced him with open arms and threw him into the starting small forward position next to Kobe Bryant in the shooting guard position. He was the perfect glue guy to replace Trevor Ariza because Ron played tough defense through a hard-working approach to basketball, and he could make some open shots when called upon.
Related: Julius Erving believes no player is similar to him in the modern NBA: “I was a small forward, but I really played like a power forward”
Jackson helped Artest become a better team player
Despite being a strong teammate with defensive and offensive skills, Ron-Ron's conflicts with coaches often disrupted team dynamics. Fortunately, the Lakers and "The Zen Master" provided a supportive environment that motivated him, especially as he later embraced Kobe's work ethic .
"I spent a lot of my career fighting coaches. When coaches told me don't shoot, I'd shoot anyway. But now I'm able to listen to a coach and sacrifice my game. It wasn't always that way," Artest continued.
In the end, it worked out for Artest because he was a key cog in the 2010 championship. He even had a massive performance in Game 7 of the Finals against the Boston Celtics, posting 20 points and five steals to win the title for the Purple and Gold, thus completing his redemption story.
Related: Shaq on the difference between Pat Riley and Phil Jackson: “In the long run, if you have a little more humor, you can get more done”
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