New Laker Ron Artest Pays Tribute to MJ

Newly minted Los Angeles Laker Ron Artest chose number 37 as his new number in tribute to the late pop icon Michael Jackson. Why 37? According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Jackson’s seminal Thriller album enjoyed exactly 37 weeks atop the pop charts in the early ’80s. Another reason for Artest’s decision was undoubtedly that Kareem, Magic, Wilt and Jerry West never sported the number 37. Ron Artest previously wore the numbers 15 (original number), 23 (Michael Jordan’s number), 91 (tribute to Dennis Rodman), 93 and 96.

Numbers aside, some have serious questions about Artest’s ability to blend it with the Lakers, Kobe Bryant specifically. Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times, for one, pointed out that Artest “will have the strongest locker room personality since Shaquille O’Neal. And we all know how that played out.” On Kobe, Artest had this to say: “You’re going to follow him, that’s a no brainer, and I didn’t even finish school. I respect a guy like that … a guy who has everything to lose … who will do anything to win.” But Kobe seemed a little more skeptical saying, “It’s tough to say whether we’ll be a better team. It will just be a different team.” Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak tried to silence fears about Artest saying, “I know what you’re saying. But give him a chance. I think he deserves a chance. He said all the right things today, he should have a chnace to show he means them.”

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