Ron Artest Raises Over $500,000 By Raffling Off His Championship Ring
When the Los Angeles Lakers received their championship rings earlier this year player Ron Artest announced that he would would be raffling his ring off to raise money for his Xcel University charity which helps raise money for mental health awareness and treatment. Artest famously thanked his psychiatrist in the press conference after the Lakers won the championship and has been public about his own therapy. Earlier this month Artest presented Pacific Clinics with a $50,000 check.Artest ended up raising around $650,000 for his ring. The winner was Raymond Mikkael, a father of four from Hawthorne, California. Check out video of Artest and Mikkael here. The rings were created by Jason of Beverly Hills and have some significant details including a small piece of leather from the Game 7 ball set into the underside of each of the rings. Each ring also has the player's three-dimensional likeness sculpted into the side of the ring. The ring's face has two trophies signifying back to back victories made from a custom batch of 16 karat gold (last year's rings were made of 15 karat gold) and 16 oversized round brilliant white diamonds to indicate the 16 Lakers' championships. The rings were designed with Lakers owner Jerry Buss.


Live from Microsoft's New Generation Xbox event!
Xbox Reveal liveblog on Joystiq
Dozens Killed in Oklahoma Tornado; Death Toll to Rise
Justin Bieber Booed, Gets Standing Ovation at Billboard Music Awards
2013 Billboard Music Awards Best and Worst Dressed
Watch: Kansas Meteorologist Seeks Shelter From Tornado
Xbox One architecture panel liveblog!
Two Pilots Fired After Brazilian Pop Star Takes Captain's Seat Mid-Flight
Oldest Water on Earth Found Deep Underground
2013 Billboard Music Awards: All the Winners!