“Blood Leaking…Was Gonna Open My Chest”: Ron Artest’s Terrifying Condition Failed to Sway Agent’s Defiance

Metta World Peace aka Metta Sandiford-Artest appeared on the Club 520 Podcast recently and spoke about injuring Michael Jordan, playing with Kobe Bryant, and guarding LeBron James. Artest also revealed that he had heart problems while growing up. The doctors suggested surgery that would have taken away up to 2 years of playing basketball.

The 42-year-old recalled the encounter at the age of 13: he had to go to the hospital because of discomfort in his heart. He was diagnosed with pneumonia, but there was also an issue with a valve in his lungs. A few years later the situation escalated, and doctors informed Artest about the surgical procedure. “I go to the doctor they say ‘we got to open you up’ (what?) so they had they was gonna open my chest up…”

Metta World Peace revealed further details on how he was about to sign the contract and he got the information that blood was leaking in his lungs. Doctors advised him surgery, and at that moment he couldn’t think much. All he wanted at that moment was to get over as soon as possible. When doctors told him about opening his chest and operating his response was ” I am like get it over with.”

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How his agents’s unconventional advice saved Metta World Peace career

The former NBA champion explains how important the role his agent Mark Bartelstein played so that his career didn’t suffer. Metta was not against surgery, which would mean he would miss a minimum of 18 months of action. His agent was very adamant that he wouldn’t have one. The Doctor suggested another way through his underarm which would mean 8 months of not playing. Bartelstein again denied the advice by saying “nah I’m not I’m not letting it go down.”

Bartelstein then started researching the subject. Metta World Peace said “Mark was researching they went through an artery in my thigh and they plugged up the hole in my heart. So this whole time I am working extra hard I am like damn why am I always tired in the in the first quarter.”
The Lakers legend talks about how his agent said he would find another solution and eventually, he found somebody to perform the special surgery. “We gonna find something else he he (Mark Bartelstein) found somebody from overseas that lived in Chicago to do this special surgery.”

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