Former NBA forward Metta Sandiford-Artest shared an interesting story about what happened after the infamous Malice at the Palace.
Sandiford-Artest was involved in an altercation during the 2004-05 season while he was playing for the Indiana Pacers in a game against the Detroit Pistons. Things escalated during the fight, leading to Sandiford-Artest going into the stands, causing a brawl that involved fans.
15 years ago today, the Pacers and Pistons engaged in what was later named the "Malice at the Palace." pic.twitter.com/tDYPtTUUss
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) November 19, 2019
The fight was certainly a dark point in the NBA, and Sandiford-Artest was suspended and did not appear in another game in the 2004-05 campaign. According to the former Pacers forward, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was the only player that reached out to him after the incident.
“The last time I spoke to him was the brawl,” Sandiford-Artest said of Jordan. “He was the only player that called me. M.J. man, I remember the call. He was like, ‘I’ma try to get you back.’ So, when he said I’ma get back, I said, ‘Oh s—, I’m back.’ I’m like, ‘Aight, it don’t even matter – February, March – good.’ M.J. you ain’t that powerful man. I ain’t never come back.”
Unfortunately, even Jordan wasn’t able to get Sandiford-Artest back on the floor during that season, but he did return to the NBA in the 2005-06 season, playing in 56 games for the Pacers and Sacramento Kings.
While the Malice at the Palace was a dark point in Sandiford-Artest’s career, he ended up turning things around for himself and became a crucial role player on a championship team with the Los Angeles Lakers.
All in all, Sandiford-Artest played until the 2016-17 season (17 total years in the NBA) and averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Known for his elite defense, Sandiford-Artest made an All-Defensive team four times and was the Defensive Player of the Year in the 2003-04 season. A one-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA selection, Sandiford-Artest finished in the top five in the voting for the Defensive Player of the Year four times in his career.
It’s interesting to hear that Jordan was so willing to help Sandiford-Artest, and it appears that it gave the former Pacers forward hope that he’d be back in the NBA sooner rather than later.
Sandiford-Artest’s story is certainly one of redemption, as he put the Malice at the Palace behind him to have a very impressive NBA career.
