The secret to Ron Artest's success? Stealing Little Debbies
Despite what he may think about himself in comparison with Trevor Ariza(notes),Ron Artest(notes) is still a pretty good defender. No, he's not the shut 'em down, open up shop defensive dynamo that he was in Indiana, but he's still better than most.
And as they say, defensive players are made, not born. For you and me, that means hard work and hours of slide drills. If you think it means the same for Ron Artest, you don't know Ron Artest.
The Orange County Register excavated this ancient quote, from way back before the Internet existed. It explains everything.
"I used to steal a lot of Little Debbie cakes from the store," Artest said in 2001 after nabbing seven steals in one game. "I got real good at it and used to steal about four a day. You have to move slow in the store, otherwise they know you're stealing. It prepared me for the league."
That's just airtight logic. Stealing Little Debbies when you're a kid is exactly the reason you're a great defender. It has nothing to do with your 6-foot-7, 260 pound body that includes your feet that move way too quickly for a man of that size. It was the Little Debbies, for sure.
After all, that's why I'm an internationally renowned chef. I used to eat so many Star Crunches when I was a kid that I just knew how to cook instinctively. Those things are magical.
