There are a lot of interviews, too many interviews, during the breaks in the NBA Finals. And only so many times you can discuss rebounding or defending Paul Pierce.
So the odd questions come, and every once in a while you get a great answer.
Like when a reporter asked Ron Artest if he was excited about the World Cup.
“I’m not a big soccer fan, but since everybody on my team is a soccer fan so I’m like turning into a soccer fan and I don’t know what I’m cheering for.
“I’m looking forward to it, I don’t even know who’s playing and I’m looking forward to the games. There’s a lot of energy around it. My son likes soccer. I think America is picking up soccer now. I never saw this much soccer being played when I was young but everybody is playing soccer.
“It didn’t reach the ghetto yet. We need some grass space. We need to get them some soccer balls, some equipment. Like we need some baseball equipment, some football equipment. If you’ve got a basketball you just show up in sneakers.
“So I’m looking forward to soccer, and golf, reaching Compton. Like a Tiger Woods from Compton, with his pants hanging down playing golf. I really want a Tiger Woods from Compton. How can we get that out there? Or like a... who’s famous from soccer? (David Beckham?) Is he from the ghetto?”
What would you give to watch a World Cup game with Artest? That would be fun.