Ron Artest Coaching the Knicks Not The Worst Idea I’ve Ever Heard

But it’s up there, amirite?

Artest, the slightly dysfunctional but always entertaining Lakers small forward, recently sat down for a mano-a-mano with ESPN, and as per usual, the defensive wizard failed to disappoint.

Brutally honest to a fault, Artest gave some rather compelling answers to the interviewer’s queries.  His most intriguing response came after he let it be known that he thinks he’d be a good coach someday.

WAIT, YOU WANT TO BE A COACH?
I want to be a coach, bad. I’d love to coach the Knicks or St. John’s, but I’d go anywhere. I want to coach immediately after I retire. I’d be good for a bunch of reasons. I know the little things, like how important spacing is. I also understand how to deal with players, so I’m able to coach a player like me now. I know when the problem is emotional versus selfishness. I’ve hurt teams with my selfishness, and I’ve hurt teams with my emotion. I know the difference. If a player doesn’t listen to me, I know how to respond. And, of course, I know defense. It’s not just physical; it’s more than that. How do I get through a playoff game with only one foul, as physical as I am? It’s about knowledge. I know every player’s moves and tendencies. I know exactly where all 10 guys on the court are supposed to be, and when. I’m 100% sure this coaching thing will work. All I need is a good staff, and to watch more tape. One thing I don’t do is watch tape. I gotta start if I want to coach.

Well, you can say this for Artest, he doesn’t lack for confidence…and it’s quite apropos that he’d choose the Knicks, not because Artest is from Queensbridge, NY., but because the Knicks are one of the most dysfunctional organizations in pro sports.

Disagree?  Then you obviously didn’t hear that they rehired Isiah Thomas, a man who pretty well ruined the franchise, as a part-time consultant.

So, is there any chance in hell that Ron Artest would make a good coach?  Meh…who’s to say?  Just because the guy used to drink Hennessy cognac at halftime, applied for a job at Circuit City in order to get an employee discount, and was public enemy #1 in “The Malice at the Palace,” doesn’t mean he wouldn’t make a good coach.

Oh wait, maybe it does.

[ESPN]