Getting Artest A “Distinct Possibility” for Cheshire Jets

Cheshire Jets Head Coach Paul Smith has labelled their chances of landing Los Angeles Lakers star Ron Artest a “distinct possibility”.

In an interview broadcast live on Chester Dee radio about the ongoing Artest situation which kicked off a week ago when he tweeted he’d like to play in the UK, Smith revealed they’ve engaged personally with the Lakers forward, and have ex-Jet Billy Singleton, who has close links with the player, doing the groundwork :

“We’ve had actual dialogue with him over the phone, we talked through some of the aspects we might be able to do for him. He’s told us what he’d like to do. We’re getting his agent involved, we have friends of friends that know him as well and it’s all building to quite a distinct possibility now.”

“It would be massive for us, it would be massive for the jets, it would be massive for the community of Chester and Cheshire. It would be great for the city, great for the jets and great for basketball.”

“I believe we have the inside track, we’ve got in there quick on twitter, and we have famous ex-Jet, Billy Singleton, who is a basketball coach in the states right now coaching Ron Artest’s son and he went to the same college as Ron Artest as well, is doing the work for us, so I think we’ve got the inside track.”

“I’m not gonna say it’s in the bag, but it’s a distinct possibility and we’re genuinely excited about it.”

When pushed to give the odds percentage wise, Smith replied:

“If you’d have asked me this 48 hours ago I’d have said not really but we’ll enjoy the publicity from it, right now, we’re still gonna enjoy the publicity from it but I think we’re probably up to about 50/50, we’ve got a real shot at it and the fact we’ve got Billy (Singleton) on the other side of the atlantic working for us in that respect, gives us a great, great opportunity.

Artest has also told the LA Times’ Bill Plaschke he plans to play for either Cheshire or Glasgow, having to be in the UK to shoot a movie. From a feature in the LA Times yesterday :

“Artest also said he is going overseas to play during the lockout, but not where you might think. Instead of playing for one of the prestigious teams in southern Europe, he plans to play for either the Cheshire Jets or Glasgow Rocks of the British Basketball League.

Um, dude, there’s a British Basketball League?

“The teams aren’t good, but I’m going there to finish a movie, so why not?” he said.”

Artest has changed his twitter profile pic to a digital image of the “World Peace” jersey the Jets have sent him, and tweeted:

“I think I might play for jets in uk!!!! Can’t wait!!!!”

Am I mad for actually believing this might happen?