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Earlier this year, Ron Artest of the Los Angeles Lakers announced that he was going to give away his championship ring he'd just earned. Everyone thought the idea was crazy, but Ron Artest was dead serious. He held a raffle and raised more than $500,000 for his Xcel University charity to benefit at-risk youth in terms of mental health. Artest got the idea after he shouted out his psychiatrist after Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. People laughed, but Artest hopes that people take mental health issues seriously.
"It's a good feeling, because it got a lot of publicity, and that's cool," Artest told the Associated Press before the Laker-Heat game on Christmas Day. "I'm glad we can start over now and do some more work with charities."
After the game, Artest announced that the winner of the raffle was Raymond Mikkael of Hawthorne, California. The entire event motivates Artest to do the whole thing again next year, starting with winning another championship with the Lakers.
"I'm so anxious to get out at it again," Artest said. "I get more fuel, I burn it all up. I'm motivated."
According to the Associated Press, the ring contains a piece of the ball used in Game 7 against the Boston Celtics; has a circumference of 16 oversized white diamonds representing the Lakers' titles and two championship trophies made of 16-karat gold. One side of the ring is a 3D-likeness of the player it was given to.
Even if Artest doesn't win a ring this year, he hopes to donate a portion of his $6.79 million salary next year to mental health charities.
Comments: (4)
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By: dolores james on 12/28/2010 12:33PM
Kudos to Ron Artest I hope more celebs will join him. This is such a forgotten illness. My daughter has struggle with Bipolar for so many years...although you are on medication your life is a struggle from day to day for LIFE.
People tend to make jokes about it by saying they are crazy but it is no different than cancer or heart disease...probably even more serious. You rock Ron.
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By: sdon on 12/28/2010 2:33PM
You know as much as the media and even NBA players have taken shots at Artest for his uniqueness-this gesture and follow-through is one of the most unselfish things I've ever heard of and it should get a lot more attention from the media than it has gotten so far. Warrick Dunn formerly of the Atlanta Falcons has given away homes his entire career to needy families and that is also one of the most commendable gifts by a professional athlete-Ron Artest should be admired for being able to achieve despite his humor, illness and honesty.
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By: mzztlove on 1/02/2011 1:30AM
Bravo Bravo.. WHAT A GREAT STORY, AND VERY TOUCHING..HOPE TO READ THE SAME STORY AT THIS NEW YEARS END!!!
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By: choppz227 on 1/02/2011 12:28PM
YOU ROCK MR.ARTEST!!!!! KEEP DOING WHAT UR DOING!!!! AND GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!
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