A former champion of the Los Angeles Lakers provided understanding and empathy towards the behavior of Dillon Brooks, who has been causing trouble both on and off the court for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Metta Sandiford-Artest, previously known as Metta World Peace or Ron Artest, recently spoke with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson on the Scoop B Blog about the incident during Game 3 between the Lakers and the Grizzlies.
Brooks hit LeBron James in a sensitive area just seconds into the third quarter, resulting in his ejection from the game. The Lakers went on to win the game and currently lead the series 3-1.
Read More: Grizzlies: Dillon Brooks Blames Fans, Media
Dillon Brooks' Aggressiveness
Sandiford-Artest expressed that although he doesn't believe Brooks intentionally hit James in the groin, he did feel that his behavior was overly aggressive.
He chose to be careful with his wording due to personal experience, but he believes that Brooks' aggressiveness could have led to losing control of his body movements.
Sandiford-Artest's NBA playing days are over, but people can still remember the mishaps. He caused J.J. Barea to fall some playoffs back by hitting him with his arm. In 2006, he hit Manu Ginobili with his elbow. He was also involved in the "Malice at the Palace" brawl in 2004 and an incident with Derek Anderson in the same year.
It could be argued that his reputation may have changed over time, but sometimes the consequences of one's actions can overshadow any apologies or intentions.
He was a skilled wing defender during his playing career, and while he occasionally caused controversy, he was an All-Star and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 while playing for the Indiana Pacers.
He spent six seasons with the Lakers and later served as a player development coach for the South Bay Lakers, the team's NBAGL affiliate, from 2017-18.
Related Article: Lakers: LeBron James' Response About Brooks
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