The Ron Artest story is interesting not because Artest is all that interesting (or dare I even say not even that great a player), but because it proves the point that great athletic potential is only possible because of a higher intelligence. Michael Jordan was one of the greatest players on the court not just because he could dunk over his opponents, but because of his intellectual advantage over most of his counterparts. I am not saying that Jordan was the smartest person ever, what I am saying is that being intelligent can and does give you an edge on the court. We may not completely understand it, but there is something more profound about players like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Too quickly we dismiss the intelligence of athletes, thinking that they only possess better physical abilities, however the better athletes are indeed students of the game.
This brings me back to Artest. No matter how much you think Artest is a good defender, he undeniably is not a great player. He lacks the intelligence advantage which great players have. In today’s league, there are good players and then there are great players. Tracy McGrady is a great player. He knows the game very well and knows his opponents weaknesses. On the other hand Lamar Odom is a good player. The fundamental difference between good players and great ones is that great ones can make their own shot. They can adapt, and do it in ways that their opponents can not imagine. You can see this in Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Shaq, and others. Basketball is a team sport and even if you are not a great player, and do not have the advantage of greater intelligence, you can still be very successful on the court. You just have to outwork your opponents and hustle more than any other player. You can see this every time you watch Spurs and see how Ginobli beats his opponents with sheer effort. In the case of Ginobli, he is not the fastest, nor the tallest, yet he is the most dynamic player in the game and more valuable than Tony Parker.
In the case of Lamar Odom, he most likely will never be successful with the Lakers. He is a good player and one which the Lakers have been unable to propel to the next level. I blame the Lakers. Odom would be a star on any other team, and my favorite fit for Odom would be the Pacers. He would be very successful and needed in Indiana, where he could be partnered with Jermaine O’Neal and become an offensive threat in an offensive game that needs more quickness at the moment. In the Lakers, Odom’s game is too difficult. It is hard to score when you are given less possessions and when you are given the ball too late.
So can Artest be successful, I really do not know. I am not totally convinced that he is even a good player. His defense may not be all that great either. One has to remember that defense works better when it is done as a team, and perhaps we may not see how good Artest is until he plays for a weak defensive team.