Metta Sandiford-Artest Disputes Claim That LeBron James Was ‘Physically Intimidated’ By Him: “King James Dominated Our Meets”

Metta Sandiford-Artest has hit back at reports saying he physically intimidated LeBron James.

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Credit: Fadeaway World

• Metta Sandiford-Artest has hit back at reports saying he physically intimidated LeBron James.

• James averaged 26.9 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.7 rebounds on 49% shooting in 21 games against Artest

• The former Defensive Player of the Year has put a stop to the unflattering remarks regarding James 

The course of NBA history is written in the history books through objective lenses if you look at wins and numbers. But the narrative of the game and its players is so much more engaging that we often get lost in that.

Brian Windhorst recently claimed on ESPN that LeBron James used to be physically intimidated by Metta Sandiford-Artest, then known as Ron Artest. Artest has disputed that himself, citing James’ excellent numbers against him.

“King James dominated our meets on average with an 80% success rate. He was strong enough to keep up with my strength and he succeeded.”

LeBron averaged 26.9 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.7 rebounds on 49% shooting against Artest while winning 13 of the 21 games the pair went head-to-head on.

The numbers are incontrovertible proof that James wasn’t deterred by the Artest matchup, though he could still have been intimidated and just worked through it.


LeBron James Has Rarely Been Intimidated

Physically intimidating a 6’9″ athletic freak like LeBron has to be next to impossible, though you could say James has previously been intimidated by moments.

The two best examples come with what happened to James during the 2011 Finals, where was completely unable to rise to the occasion. It is the only major blemish on James’ career, as that is the only Finals series his team was favorites to win that he lost out of his six career losses.

Another moment came in the 2013 Finals when James was caught on camera visibly upset when Kawhi Leonard checked into a game, who had done an incredible job guarding James for the entire Finals. Though James and Miami would win the 2013 Finals, Kawhi and the Spurs would win the 2014 title and end James’ run in Miami.  

Outside of those two instances, James has stepped up to most major moments and on-court matchups while being exceedingly successful.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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