Artest is allowed to return to the Kings

Five days after his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence, Ron Artest said he’d stumbled as a father and husband and the Sacramento Kings announced they would let the volatile player return to the team.

“First, I want to apologize to my wife, to my family,” Artest said Saturday at a news conference in Sacramento.

He then lowered his head and fought back tears for nearly a minute before continuing. “I want to apologize to the Kings, to my teammates, to the NBA, everybody.”

The Kings had excused Artest indefinitely Tuesday from all team activities, one day after he was arrested at his home in a Sacramento suburb.

A woman called 911 and said she had been assaulted, and a police report said Artest had slapped the woman’s face and grabbed her repeatedly, causing visible injuries on her hand and leg.

At the hastily called news conference to announce Artest would play today against the Denver Nuggets, Artest promised to begin volunteering with domestic violence groups in Sacramento and said he would work to repair his personal life.

“I definitely stumbled by what happened with my family, and I took a step back as being a father and a husband, and I’m looking forward to the day when I can make that right,” he said.

Artest also said he was sorry for once again giving the NBA a black eye.

“I definitely want to apologize for my behavior even to the ... whole NBA, all the players, because the league is doing so well right now ... and Ron Artest once again is in the media for something other than basketball and I apologize.”

Artest is best known as the central figure in the 2004 brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans.

He received a 73-game suspension and lost almost $5 million in salary for jumping into the stands and starting the brawl.

Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ president of basketball operations, said he deliberated for five days before deciding to allow Artest to return to the team after the latest incident.

“Obviously, the events of this last Monday remain a very, very serious issue going forward,” Petrie said. “However at this point in time and place we feel it’s important for Ron to come back and participate and rejoin the team and start playing again.”

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Indiana Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley was suspended for Saturday night’s game against Philadelphia for conduct detrimental to the team.

Tinsley has had his share of problems this season.

He was hit with a felony charge of intimidation and misdemeanor counts of battery, disorderly conduct and intimidation after a bar fight in Indianapolis last month.

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle said those issues were unrelated to the suspension.

“This is related to things that are on our team,” Carlisle said. “It has nothing to do with the extended world outside of the Pacers.”

Tinsley had a sore left foot and did not practice on Friday.

“He may have been able to play, he may not have,” Carlisle said.

The team’s decision further depleted the injury-hampered Pacers, who lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Jermaine O’Neal, the team’s leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker, sat out because of a sprained left knee.

Marquis Daniels, a key reserve, sat out because of a sore left knee.