Less than a month into the 2004-05 NBA season, the career trajectory of Metta Sandiford-Artest—formerly known as Ron Artest—changed drastically. His involvement in the iconic Malice at the Palace between the Pistons and Pacers resulted in a season-long suspension. His punishment came at the peak of his career and led to his eventual decline. Although he achieved success afterward, Artest believes his MVP window closed as soon as it opened.
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Artest made a guest appearance on Byron Scott’s Fast Break Podcast. In his conversation with the Lakers great, Artest shed light on how Malice affected not only his time in Indy but also his career as a whole.
The Pacers were witnessing Artest’s ascent to stardom. However, his potential MVP candidacy was cut short owing to his involvement in the events at Auburn Hills. In retrospect, Artest recognized that the window of opportunity had closed after his suspension. He cited the late great Kobe Bryant, who won only one MVP award (2008) despite being a consistent All-Star. He said,
“I was ranked top-10 in the league that year. Everything was going up. That was an MVP year for me. It’s a window of opportunity. Even Kobe only got one, which is kind of weird. But it’s a window of opportunity. Sometimes you get it and sometimes you don’t.”
Artest appeared in only seven games that season before his suspension ended the Pacers’ triumph and the star forward’s rise to superstardom. The former All-NBA player couldn’t regain his form until he agreed to become a role player in his latter years.
Artest’s 2004-05 season ascension
The former Pacers star isn’t exaggerating his comments. The 6-foot-7 forward took a massive offensive leap from the year before. Artest began to break the mold of an elite lockdown defender and evolve into a polished two-way star. He followed his first All-Star appearance in 2004, with 24.6 points and 6.4 assists per game on 49.6% shooting from the field.
Steve Nash, the Suns’ best player, eventually earned the 2005 MVP award. At the moment, Artest was on track to significantly outperform Nash’s statistical averages. The Canadian guard got the award in large part because he helped lead the Phoenix Suns to an NBA-best 62-20 record. However, the argument could be made that the Pacers’ record would have been substantially better if Artest had not been suspended.
Regardless, Metta Sandiford-Artest did not let the setback define his career. He went on to play 17 seasons in the NBA. His first season with the Lakers was his most successful. The gritty defender helped lead the squad to a championship in 2010, including a clutch three-pointer in Game 7 that sealed the victory.
