Top 50: Ron Artest, no.42

by Myles Brown/@mdotbrown In any other off season he would’ve been the story. But lost amidst this summer’s whirlwind of events ranging from the downward spiral of Stephon Marbury to the ceaseless wonder that is Delonte West, is the continuing saga of Ron Artest. Remember when he was the crazy one? The thug? The tragedy? The comic relief?   What happened?   The advent of social networking tools such as twitter and Ustream have given us a peek into the lives of numerous NBA stars and fringe personalities who’ve alternately enchanted and repulsed us with their foibles. But in reference to Artest, they’ve forced us to ask ourselves; has Ron truly matured or are they simply proving him tame by comparison?   Either way, the Los Angeles Lakers welcome the distractions. Because those were the initial questions upon his signing. Will he be a distraction? Can he handle the distractions? Adding a reputedly combustible personality such as Artest certainly could de...