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'We were both battling for the DPOY' - Artest clears the air on his relationship with Ben Wallace

Originally posted on Basketball Network
By Jonas Panerio | Last updated Dec 10, 2024 9:18 AM ET

The "Malice in the Palace" was one of the darkest moments in the NBA's long and illustrious history. It was an event that ushered in numerous changes regarding security protocols, fan interactions, and player conduct. But beyond the chaos and violence that occurred on that fateful night, there were also personal relationships at play.

One of those relationships was between Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly known as Ron Artest) and Ben Wallace. According to Artest, prior to the incident, he and "Big Ben" had no issues other than competing for the same prestigious award: the Defensive Player of the Year trophy.

Two competitors going at it

On that November night in 2004, the sports world got turned upside down after the Indiana Pacers, led by Artest and Stephen Jackson, engaged the fans inside The Palace of Auburn Hills in an all-out brawl. Moments before that, the former St. John's ace and Wallace got into it after Ron fouled the Pistons center in the dying seconds of a game Indy already had in the bag.

Speaking on "Byron Scott's Fast Break," Artest said he and Wallace had no beef before all that happened; they were just two intense competitors caught between the lines.

"I love Ben. I think he's incredible. The only issues we had were we were both battling for Defensive Player of the Year, right?" he shared. "The year I got suspended, I probably was going to get it again. He got it. So I was in between that, and he will argue the same thing—that he should have got five, and I'm arguing I should have had three."

Malice at the Palace turns 20 years old today
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— Barstool Detroit (@BSMotorCity) November 19, 2024

The former All-Star and All-NBA Team member added that he was also trying to step up as a team leader at that time and was consciously avoiding getting called for technical or flagrant fouls, which is why Artest didn't engage with Wallace after the latter pushed him.

"The year prior I got suspended in the semifinals, so I'm like, 'Okay, I got to be more responsible, a leader.' So, I wasn't trying to get into any issues. I was playing well; my mind was right," Metta explained.

Unfortunately for Metta and Ben, the former wasn't aware that the latter was grieving at that time following the death of his mother. This may have led to Wallace's frustration and eventual altercation with Artest.

"He had a death in the family at the time. I think his mother had just passed away a few days earlier, right? I didn't know it at the time," Metta remarked. "So, once I hit him, I was like—I was about to say sorry. Not 'cause I'm scared, just like 'I see you upset. All right, my bad.'"

Didn't want to fight Ben, but he wasn't also afraid of him

As the temperature of the arena kept rising, Artest kept his cool by lying down at the scorer's table. Wallace was still heated on the other side. Despite that, Ron knew nothing violent was going to happen between the two of them.

"Ben went the other way. Ben could have—he could have jumped over the refs if he really wanted to, right?" the 6'7"forward from Queensbridge, New York, said. "If he would have punched me in my face, that would have been a surprise. I didn't think—like your hands are down, and I'm like, I don't think he's gonna punch me in my face, you know? And he didn't."

Ron's and Ben's shenanigans didn't escalate further. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the fans and Artest. After a fan named John Green flicked a cup filled with beverage and ice at Artest's chest, the player famously charged into the stands and started a brawl that gave the league a humongous black eye.

This article first appeared on Basketball Network and was syndicated with permission.

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