Ron Artest said he was disappointed, like every other New Yorker, when LeBron James spurned the Knicks and signed with the Heat.
“I wanted him to come to New York,” the former St. John’s star said after playing for the Sean Bell All-Stars at the West 4th Street Pro League in downtown Manhattan yesterday. “I’m a New York fan. I don’t like seeing the Knicks lose.”
Artest, who helped the Los Angeles win the title this past season, figured there was a chance James would choose the Big Apple.
“If you’re trying to be real big, you come to New York or L.A.,” he said. “But you never know what someone’s thinking about.”
As for Amar’e Stoudemire, the player who did choose to come to New York, Artest warned the power forward it will be a challenge.
“If you want pressure, you come to New York,” he said. “He must be special to come to New York. I hope he works hard on his rebounding and shot blocking.”