L.A. Lakers: 10 Most Bizarre Moments This Offseason

Lakerland is constantly full of surprises. The Lakers have always been, in some form or fashion, a part of the Hollywood circuit and are constantly making the news for non-basketball reasons. Odd reasons.  Eccentric. Strange even.

This offseason has been no different.

What follows is a list of the strangest, most bizarre stories involving the Lakers during the offseason. And we're a long ways away from basketball, folks, so things could definitely get a lot stranger.

10. Matt Barnes Loses to Kid at Knockout

Every year, Kobe Bryant holds a basketball camp for kids of all ages called the Kobe Bryant Academy. Nothing strange about that.

But as this video will show, Kobe invited his teammate Matt Barnes along for a game of knockout with the campers.  

Start at the 1:40 mark and you'll see that, yes, a professional NBA player missed a showoff dunk to lose to a 16-year-old doing a layup.  Yikes.

Barnes is coming off knee surgery, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt here.  

Just don't let this happen when you're playing against people who, you know, get paid to play basketball and who are, you know, older than 16.

9. Lamar Odom Chaperones Kids Day at Universal Studios

Lamar Odom and his wife, Khloe Kardashian, took all the kids out for a family outing to Universal Studios. It's great to see Lamar and Khloe making family plans together. Admirable, in fact.

But this was no small undertaking. We're talking Lamar, his wife, Kardashian siblings Robert, Kendall and Kylie, and Lamar's own kids, Destiny and Lamar Jr. Just Imagine the frantic scene at all the rides and food stands with cameras flashing and mobs forming around this motley crew.

And all you have to do is look at this picture to know that, yes, it was a strange day indeed. 

Kudos to Lamar, though, for bringing the families together. He's always been a down-to-earth, family-first guy.

8. Ron Artest's Wife Selected for Upcoming Season of VH1's Basketball Wives

Great. Another reality show.

This time it's Ron Artest's wife, Kimsha, headlining what's being dubbed a "bizarre" cast for the upcoming season of VH1's "Basketball Wives."

I thankfully don't watch the show, but I do know that Gloria Govan, who just so happens to be Matt Barnes' fiancee, is also on the show and apparently creates a lot of drama.

The significant others of Ron Artest and Matt Barnes on a reality show. What could go wrong?

On second thought, I might have to tune in to this train wreck.

7. Lamar Odom Nominated for a Teen Choice Award

Speaking of reality shows, Lamar makes the list yet again after it was announced he's been nominated for a Teen Choice Award.  

Not too strange, right?  

If you recall, in 2004, Kobe Bryant actually won a Teen Choice Award for "Best Male Athlete" of the year.

This time, however, Lamar is up for a very different kind of award. The coveted "Best Male Variety Star." Lamar is being recognized not for his ability to play basketball, but for his ability to eat dinner, wear clothes and partake in the married life on the E! show "Khloe and Lamar."

The awards show airs Aug. 7 so there's still time to vote, kids!

Lamar goes up against Pauly D and "The Situation" from "Jersey Shore, Brad Womack from "The Bachelor" and MTV's Rob Dyrdek—some pretty steep competition. Go get 'em, LO.

6. Shaq Accused of Orchestrating Kidnapping Plot with L.A. Gang Members

Laker great Shaquille O'Neal has certainly been in the news lately. First he retires, then he joins the TNT team as an NBA analyst.  

But a very strange story has surfaced this offseason that's catching the eye of many who follow him. O'Neal is being accused of—get this—masterminding a kidnapping and robbery plot with the help of seven L.A. street gang members.

The motive? Retrieve a Shaq sex tape the victim allegedly possessed. Makes total sense.

LAPD records later show that the credibility of the victim is in question, and this all may turn out to be one big extortion case.  

Either way, the Diesel just retired. Give the old guy a break.

5. Ron Artest Pranked on Jimmy Kimmel Live

When you win the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, you're bound to promote some new causes you've never heard of.  

So when Jimmy Kimmel had citizen of the year Ron Artest on his talk show, Kimmel took full advantage.

Ron thought he was performing a public service announcement for the charity Critters United, which tries to find homes for animals of all shapes and sizes. Turns out they really do mean all shapes and sizes.  

This bit is actually quite hilarious. Ron finally catches onto the prank at the end, but not before testing the limits of his own fondness for animals.  

4. Kobe Plays Rapper Bow Wow in High Stakes Game of One-on-One

Completely bizarre. Why is Kobe Bryant playing an intense one-on-one matchup against actor/rapper Bow Wow?

Oh, because the rights to producer/rapper Jermaine Dupri's latest single, $1,000 dollars, and Lakers season tickets were on the line. That's why.

In a bet apparently made during Shannon Brown's wedding, Bow Wow challenged Kobe to a high stakes game of one-on-one in which Kobe unbelievably spots Bow Wow 10 baskets. The game was to 11.

Challenging Kobe is not a wise decision. You'll get burned every time.  

And that's exactly what happened.

3. Ron Artest Performs Stand Up Comedy, Headlines Comedy Tour

Everything Ron Artest says is funny. So now all of a sudden he's a stand-up comedian?

Yep.

"The Ron Artest Ultimate Comedy Tour." Sounds strange but its definitely a real thing.  

Ron organized a group of professional stand up comics to perform at comedy clubs all around the US this summer, performing shows in Los Angeles and New York. There are even shows scheduled for the United Kingdom and the Virgin Islands.  

And, no joke, Ron Artest is the headliner. Even better, the crowds are loving it.  

Reminds me of this classic exchange between Kobe and Artest. Is there anything the Mamba can't do?

2. Andrew Bynum Parks in Handicapped Spot, Gets Caught

The oft-injured Laker center is constantly having surgeries, getting operations and doing rehab on his knees. So when Andrew Bynum parks in a handicapped spot, it's probably part of his physical therapy.  I mean, he's probably rehabbing, right?

Wrong.  

NBC Los Angeles affiliate caught Andrew Bynum double parking his BMW in a handicapped spot and ably walking out of his car like he's got the blue handicapped placard to prove it.

No benefit of the doubt here for young Andrew. As Bynum's latest training and boxing workouts will show, he's definitely able to take those few extra steps to park with the rest of the civilian population.  

Definitely a bizarre moment for the young up-and-coming center.

1. Ron Artest Changes Name to "Metta World Peace"

We all knew this would top out at No. 1. How could it not?

The artist formerly known as Ron Artest is now Metta World Peace.  

I can only imagine the zen-like state (read: alcohol) Ron was in when he had this moment of clarity and decided to change to this Buddhist slash crazy name.

Heres Ron on the show "Pardon the Interruption" explaining his decision.

The entire basketball world is hoping that the L.A. Superior Court grants Ron's petition (thus far Ron has only made the filing) and the name change becomes official. The marketing (and humor) just writes itself.

Thoughts on the Bizarre List

As for the rest of the team, Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher have kept their noses clean this offseason. Pau's probably too busy working on this.

And we all know what Derek's been up to this offseason. No time for name changes when you're the President of the NBA Player's Association.

I'm shocked to not see party animal Luke Walton on the list. Luke's been known for a good stalker story or getting wild in Vegas a time or two. I guess he's become accustomed to his Mr. Irrelevant role on the squad. After all, he's a team player.

But the big winner here has to be Ron Artest, nabbing four of the top 10 honors on this list. We shouldn't be surprised given Ron's crazy exploits. I hope the name change doesn't alter his antics—he's as much a joy to watch off the court as he is on the court.

And for that, Mr. Metta World Peace, we salute you. Keep up the crazy.