BallinEurope just received word from Hippo Taatila (via BiE pilgrim father Christophe, now of European Prospects) that Ron Artest may have topped himself in wackiness yet again – and this within a week of the announcement of his imminent name change to Metta World Peace. Reports Taatila:
“Finland’s top league Korisliiga will witness some serious NBA talent in September 2011, when Los Angeles Lakers forward/multipersonality Ron Artest will join league newcomer LoKoKo Loimaa.
“The 31-year old Artest has three years left in his Lakers contract, but that doesn’t seem to bother LoKoKo sports director Aleksi Valavuori, who backs up the rumor in Tuesday’s Ilta-Sanomat newspaper.
“We have sorted things out and I can happily confirm that Artest will arrive in Finland,” Valavuori states in the Ilta-Sanomat interview.
Valavuori has been making noise with his antics in Finland earlier, too. In November 2005, 7,420 spectators witnessed Dennis Rodman’s 17-point, 6-rebound performance in Helsinki, and in November 2008, Scottie Pippen played for ToPo in two Korisliiga games.
Artest is supposed to play “a few games” with LoKoKo. But are the 16,907 inhabitants of Loimaa ready for Artest? My wild guess is that Loimaa’s nightlife will never be the same.
