Ron Artest May Be Blamed If Lakers Don’t Repeat Last Season

According to the Los Angeles Times, newly acquired Laker Ron Artest may shoulder the blame if the Lakers fail to repeat last season’s championship win this season. While promoting the Lakers’ exhibition game against the Denver Nuggets (which will take place Oct. 23 at the San Diego Sports Arena), Artest said that fans would be justified in blaming him if the Lakers fail to secure another NBA Championship title this season: “They should. That’s exactly what should happen if we don’t repeat. They won last year, and I’m the new addition. The fans expect to repeat. Everybodyin L.A. expects a second ring. And if we don’t then yeah, they should point it right at me, throwing tomatoes and everything.”

On July 8 Artest joined the Lakers as a free agent, inking a five-year deal worth approximately $33 million. Artest basically swaped places with Trevor Ariza (who left L.A. to take Artest’s spot with the Houston Rockets) as the Lakers’ only addition. Artest wore an all-black Kobe Bryant jersey to pay tribute to his new teammate and appeared excited to make his first promotional appearance for his new team saying, “It makes me more excited, gives me a better understanding of what jersey I’m actually putting on. So today I decided to wear the black Kobe Bryant jersey, because he is the ‘Black Mamba,’ and I’m really happy to be a part of this team and I’m really excited just to be an addition, an asset, to the guy, to the (Derek) Fishers and the (Andrew) Bynums and all the rest of the players.”

Get all your Los Angeles Lakers tickets at StubHub.

Posted in General on September 22, 2009

Leave a comment