KEY POINTS

  • Ben Wallace and Metta Sandiford-Artest bury the hatchet since the controversial “Malice At The Palace” incident
  • Wallace recounts how the skirmish started and got out of hand
  • Wallace says he has always admired Artest for the energy he brought on the floor

A lot can change in 17 years, and one of the unforgettable moments in NBA history is the controversial “Malice At The Palace.”

A documentary on that incident was shown on Netflix where the main culprits were retired NBA players Ben Wallace and Metta Sandiford-Artest.

Both officially buried the hatchet when they crossed paths during an NBA game pitting the Los Angeles Lakers against Detroit Pistons at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California over the weekend.

Artest posted a photo of him and Wallace shaking hands on his official Instagram account.

Wallace revealed to the Detroit Free Press that he holds no hard feelings about that incident that happened on November 19, 2004, at the Palace at Auburn Hills.

Artest played for the Indiana Pacers at the time.

The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year admitted that Indiana was beating them very well in that game until things got chippy towards the end.

Wallace recounted how he blocked an Artest drive at the time. The All-Star forward then complained and said that he would get that one back.

“I overheard him tell the official that he missed the call and said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get him back.’ I grew up that when someone said they’re going to get you, then it’s on, you have to be prepared to handle your business,” Wallace stated.

And as anticipated, Artest got back at Wallace with a hard foul. The former Pistons star pushed the 6-foot-7 bruiser back. From there, things just got out of hand.

The turning point was when a Pistons fan threw a drink at Artest, which aggravated the situation in return.

“When that fan threw a drink on Ron, it was very disrespectful, and then things really got out of hand when he went into the stands after that guy,” Wallace recalled.

But despite that past incident, Wallace admitted that he thought highly of Artest–particularly the energy he brought on the defensive end for any team he was on.

“I always admired the way Ron Artest played the game and the energy he played with on the defensive end. There was no real beef between us, it was just something that happened,” Wallace shared.

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