Laker’s legend, Ron Artest, wasn’t just another NBA name—he was a whirlwind. On both sides of the court, he brought a rare blend of aggression and skill that threw opponents off rhythm and lit up scoreboards. Back in 2004, he put up numbers that turned heads: 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.1 steals a game. And let’s not forget, that same year, he almost locked down the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. But according to his former Indiana Pacers teammate, Stephen Jackson, that might’ve just been scratching the surface.
Reflecting on their time together, Jackson said on the Club 520 podcast, “Playin’ with Ron was the best ever, bro. I didn’t ever have a teammate that can dominate on both ends of the court every night if he wanted to. Ron is the only teammate that could have won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same year. For sure.”
To put things in perspective, only three players have ever pulled off what Jackson suggested—winning both MVP and DPOY in the same season. Michael Jordan did it in ‘88, Hakeem Olajuwon in ‘94, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2020. Two others—Kevin Garnett and David Robinson—earned both, just not in the same year. That’s the elite company Artest was on the edge of joining. No wonder Jackson’s standing firm on his stance.
Now, shifting gears a bit, Jackson recently took things further on the Dan Patrick Show. This time, it wasn’t just about on-court dominance. “They say the Hall of Fame is. Your whole life of basketball, right, not just your NBA career, right,” he said. But, it’s not just Ron Artest Jackson is vouching for. He’s pulling for other overlooked greats too.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 21: Head coach Stephen Jackson of Trilogy reacts against Killer 3’s in Week Eight at the Orleans Arena on August 21, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for BIG3)
“As a peer of a lot of these guys, I feel like Stephon Marbury should be a Hall of Famer. I feel like Jermaine O’Neal should be a Hall of Famer. I feel like Ron, Ron Attest should be a Hall of Famer, like all these guys I’m saying should be in already because of what they’ve done in the game,” he said. Jackson’s not just pushing names—he’s pushing legacies that deserve their place in the Hall. But this is not the first time Jackson advocate for Artest.
Stephen Jackson wants Ron Artest to be in Hall of Fame
Before things took a wild turn in 2004, Ron Artest was actually making a legit MVP case. Through the first nine games of that season, he was putting up monster numbers—24.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals. Indiana? They were rolling at 7-2 and manhandling the reigning champs, the Detroit Pistons. But then came the infamous Malice at the Palace. That moment shifted everything. A 73-game suspension derailed his momentum, and though he later contributed solidly with the Kings, Rockets, and even started for the 2010 title-winning Lakers, the shine never quite came back the same way.
Even so, Stephen Jackson has never hesitated to throw his full support behind Ron. Speaking last November, Stack didn’t hold back: “Tim (Duncan) is the best I played with. If I have to go two, it’s Ron and JO (Jermaine O’Neal). I got Baron (Davis) number three, but I got Ron and JO for two because I see Ron do some amazing things on the court, dominate on both sides of the court. And I seen Jermaine damn near get 70 points one night… Ron’s a Hall of Famer.”
Still, the Hall continues to keep him at arm’s length. But Artest? He’s not begging for validation. “I really hope it happens. It’s gonna be slim, but I don’t care about the brawl. I don’t care about how people think about me. I’m not trying to make new friends, even with whoever’s picking in the Hall of Fame,” he said on Byron Scott’s podcast.
The Naismith Hall’s voting process, needing 75% approval from a secretive committee, often snubs players like Artest, whose single All-Star nod and the Malice stigma overshadow his DPOY and title. But recent inductions, like Ben Wallace in 2021 for his defensive grit, give hope, especially since Artest’s still not a finalist as of May 2025.
He doubled down too, saying, “What I care about is the awards I got, the work I put in, does that merit going into (the Hall of Fame)? I got a couple of accolades that I think I can make an argument.” Even if Springfield never calls, the respect he’s earned speaks louder.
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