Ask Ron-Ron
By Dime Magazine

A couple months ago we told you that Dime was bringing Ron Artest into the fam as our advice columnist. The first edition of “Ask Ron” is running in Issue #31 (the LeBron cover) which you can find on newsstands now. But for our Dimemag.com readers, we’re running those questions and Ron-Ron’s answers right here. In this edition, the Tru Warier handles reader questions on everything from baby mama drama to rolling with Stephen Jackson to popping the big question. When you’re done reading, submit your own questions for Ron in the Comments section, or e-mail your questions for Artest for run in an upcoming issue of Dime.

Ron, I’m thinking about popping the question to my girl. How should I do it? – Calvin

First you gotta have sex one last time, you know, and tell her you love her. You should probably take her out to a simple dinner, nothing too crazy. Keep it simple, because a lady is looking for the little things. If she wants to be with you forever, she’ll like that.

What were your thoughts on the Stephen Jackson club altercation? If you were there with Steve, what would you have said to him? – D-Nice

If I was there with Steve, anything he woulda did, I woulda did.

How do NBA players get paid? Is it one fat check a year? Every two weeks like regular people? Once a month? – TheGlove20

We get paid every two weeks or two times a year in lump sums, our choice. I like to get it twice a year. Most guys do it every two weeks.

What kind of financial advice would you give to a rookie coming into the League? – Scott

I would definitely tell a rookie to try not to buy jewelry and cars right away. The first thing you should do is put money in real estate, that’s the safest investment. Unlike me, I spent my money on cars and jewelry, but those things don’t last. When you’re living on the edge like that, anything can happen to you. You’ll wake up one day and everything will be messed up.

Hey Ron! Big fan of yours. I wanted you to go to the Lakers, but life goes on. My question is how do I get back with the mother of my child? I neglected her and we have been separated for about six months now. Recently we started talking again on the phone, but I need some help so I don’t make the wrong move. Do I take it slow or what? Give me some info Ron! – Russell

I would recommend to definitely take it slow with the mother, but always stay in contact with your child. It’s important that you stay in your child’s life and be a positive influence. But before you get back together with the mother, make sure it’s a stable relationship so the child doesn’t suffer. Kids pick up on tension and negativity, and that’s not a good environment for them to live under. But I would encourage you to try to work it out with her.

Do NBA players always keep track of their stats in their head? When you dropped 39 on the Knicks a while back, it looked like you were definitely gunning for 40 at the end. – Allan

Maybe a few keep track, but a lot of people keep it out of their heads. I wasn’t trying to get 40 on New York, I just continued to play the game and the ball happened to come to me. But then a couple people on my team said “Get 40.” But when I tried to score, I couldn’t score.

I wanna work in basketball someday, but I know I’m not the best player out there. What’s the best job to have in basketball besides being a player? – Brandon

If I wasn’t a player, I would wanna just work with players. I don’t wanna be a head coach, but more like a individual instructor, helping guys improve individually. I wish I could do that one day for college or high school players.

Have you read any books that changed or influenced your life in any way? It seems like nobody reads these days, and I was just wondering if any piece of literature sent you in a direction that helped you get to where you are today. – LL

I don’t read any books now, but back in high school I read a book I would highly recommend that changed my life. The name of the book is “Black Boy,” by Richard Wright. It changed my life and made me realize to focus on my priorities, and once you do that, everything else will fall into place.

How did growing up in Queensbridge influence your style of play? – Chris C.

Everybody plays D in Queensbridge; they wanna play hard-nosed basketball. I grew up around players that played the game hard and really wanted to get stops. And back in the neighborhood you’re playing for nothing.

Ron-Ron, what’s your favorite quote? – Kevin

My favorite quote is “I’ma smack the [expletive] out of you.”

What’s the worst someone’s ever dunked on you? You have been dunked on before, right? – Ty

Oh man, Corey Maggette dunked on me so hard one time about five years ago, I’m still feeling it right now. He almost broke my back. He came down and landed on my shoulders. My back still hurts sometimes.

Ron, did you really break one of Michael Jordan’s ribs? How did that happen, and were you kinda scared about how MJ would react? – Johnny Blaze

That was one of the worst moments of my life. MJ is my favorite player, my idol, like the uncle you never met … I’d met him before, though. I didn’t know I did it at first, but a couple people said it happened on a play I was involved in. I wanted him to end his career playing great, and I just [expletive] it up. I still can’t get over it. He had to sit out two and a half months where he was supposed to get back in shape. If that wouldn’t have happened, he woulda averaged 30 and his team woulda went to the playoffs.

What inspired you to start rapping? What inspire you to start playing ball? – The kids at Children’s Village in Westchester, N.Y.

I love music and always have, and the first time I got a chance to go into the studio and make a song, I really enjoyed the whole process and wanted to keep making music. A lot of my friends were rapping as well, so I thought, why not? It’s another way for me to express myself.
My father got me into basketball when I was young. He played ball and wanted me to play, and I started when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t that good at first, but every time I was defeated it challenged me to do better, practice, beat my friends and excel.

Do ballplayers get as much attention for the ladies as we think they do? – Ryan

I think rappers get the most attention. I don’t know why, I just see that. The NBA is a whole different lifestyle. It’s a more controlled environment. You got a few rappers out there that get older and mature, like Jay-Z and Nas, but most rappers is like, loose.

MJ is my favorite player, my idol, like the uncle you never met … I’d met him before, though.