If I'm Ron Artest, the next coach I confront is Isiah Thomas. I push him up against a wall and grab the lapels of that extremely stylish suit and yell, "What are you trying to do to me?"

Because if I'm Ron Artest, I do not ever want to be confused with Dennis Rodman or Rasheed Wallace. Sure, Dennis had his share of success and 'Sheed is getting paid, but I don't have any of the good yet, just the bad. That's a shame, because I've worked too hard to make myself into a legit, feared player. I've waited four years to be recognized and appreciated as an integral part of a championship-caliber team. Michael Jordan loves me despite the fact I clocked him in the ribs for making fun of my rabbit-eared pockets. MJ probably loves me because I clocked him for making fun of my rabbit-eared pockets.

	The rough stuff by Ron Artest, left, may help the Pacers but it has hurt Artest's reputation.

But I am not just some bully, a muscle-bound buckethead. I have game. No one can do more offensively without leaving their feet than I can. No one can lock up a scorer the way I can. I have handle. I have range. Few have the endurance, strength and agility I have. And yet here I am, ready to simultaneously become a great player and someone who is never recognized as a great player because those around me turned a blind eye to behavior that hurts me far more than it will ever hurt them.

If I'm Ron Artest, I certainly don't want Bill Laimbeer being asked to compare his behavior to mine, because while they might remember Laimbeer won two rings, few think of him as a four-time All-Star and the Pistons' all-time leading rebounder. Laimbeer is asked to compare his behavior to mine because the average fan sees him, at least in part, as the brawl-instigating teammate whom even Isiah once slugged.

So if I'm Ron Artest, I don't need someone praising me for the energy and toughness I bring, as if I'm incapable of doing that without sacrificing a chunk of both my paycheck and my reputation. If I'm Ron Artest, I earned my street cred the hard way, growing up in the Queensbridge projects of New York. I've survived too much to be flipping the bird -- isn't that some community-college professor's response to getting cut off in traffic, anyway? -- at a crowd of sun-kissed, linen-wearing beach people. I'm not earning any bad-ass points bumping a 57-year-old coach running a team as bad as the Miami Heat. If I'm Ron Artest, I know how silly all that looks and I lose faith in anybody who tries to tell me it doesn't.

But if I'm Ron Artest, I'm still young and maybe I need to be reminded by someone who knows better. Someone like Isiah, who never lost that street edge but honed it to take full advantage of the opportunity playing ball can provide. If I'm Ron Artest, I wonder now if he is going to show me the way, or if he's going to let me go the way Dennis went and 'Sheed is headed. Sure, 'Sheed has street cred, just as Derrick Coleman once did, but for every person who admires them for blazing their own crooked trails, there are a dozen who see guys no one cared enough about to set them straight.

You'd think Isiah would know that about Dennis, too, wouldn't you? His former teammate holds the record for most consecutive rebounding titles (seven) and made seven all-defensive first teams and played an integral part in five championships -- and yet made only two All-Star teams and probably will be remembered best, by far too many, for kicking a cameraman.

	Truth is, if I'm Ron Artest, I better know right now I may already be screwed. Because while some would say I'm not Dennis Rodman or Rasheed Wallace or Bill Laimbeer, the reality is Dennis and Rasheed were All-Stars their fourth season in the league and Laimbeer made it in his third.

Of course, when I'm done with Isiah I go after my teammates, one by one, for condoning all this with their silent support. The next time Reggie Miller wants to give someone the choke sign, I'll do it for him, because if I'm Ron Artest, he and the rest of them are using me. Sure, I've set a defensive tone the team didn't have and I grab the tough rebounds and I play hard every night and I can score, too. That's what I'm giving them. And what are they doing in return? They're watching me throw cameras that cost me 50 large and bumping coaches who will make sure I'm never selected as an All-Star -- and saying nothing, at least not publicly. And if they're sending one message privately and another publicly, what does that say? If I'm Ron Artest, it says they're either scared of me or appearances are more important than doing whatever it takes. Is that how Michael Jordan got Dennis to hold it together to help him win three more rings? Or did he publicly let it be known Dennis was hurting the team, thereby bringing outside as well as internal pressure to bear on the Worm? Isn't that how the Zenmaster works, too?

Doesn't Reggie know, respected as he is, that by saying I could help him get a ring before he retires if I just channel my competitive fire that he'd be doing me a huge favor?

Truth is, if I'm Ron Artest, I better know right now I may already be screwed. Because while some would say I'm not Dennis Rodman or Rasheed Wallace or Bill Laimbeer, the reality is Dennis and Rasheed were All-Stars their fourth season in the league and Laimbeer made it in his third.

If I'm Ron Artest, I know I'm potentially worse off than all of them. Because I am now thought of as one of them. In this, my fourth season. Never having been an All-Star.

And Ones
The All-Star dunk contest remains, but the league has accepted that its days as a main attraction are over. All-Star Saturday now will conclude with the newly concocted Skills Challenge, which is expected to feature Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton and Stephon Marbury navigating an obstacle course that will test their passing, shooting and dribbling skills. The game-show format for the dunk contest has been trashed, as has the league's push to get superstar names competing in it. ... Spurs rookie Manu Ginobili will replace Yao Ming, who will start for the West in Sunday's game, in the Rookie-Sophomore contest on Saturday. Yao still plans to sit on the West rookies' bench as a show of support. ... The Lakers are on pace to commit more than 1,900 fouls for the first time in eight seasons. Interestingly, only Kobe Bryant is averaging fewer fouls than last season. Proponents will credit his improved strength and savvy. Critics will see it as proof that he's gambling more this season than ever, which reduces his chances of picking up a foul while making his teammates more likely to get one. ... Why fans should select every All-Star, thereby making it a popularity contest, or have no vote all: Vince Carter selected over Kidd. ... OK, so it has been determined LeBron James didn't violate his amateur status by accepting the Hummer H2. Next point of inquiry: seeing as Hummers get about four miles to the gallon, who's paying for the gas?

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com. Also, send a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.