On Tuesday's "Today" Show, controversial Indiana Pacers player Ron Artest talks with Matt Lauer about the brawl in Detroit, what was going through his head during the incident and his thoughts on NBA commissioner David Stern.

Slideshow: Ron Artest's First Interview Since Brawl
Video: Ron Artest Speaks Out

The interview picks up after a brief introduction with Lauer and Artest.

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Lauer: No one is defending the fans. Everybody thinks they acted ridiculously. But what would have been an appropriate punishment in your opinion for you?

Artest: I respect David Stern's decisions, you know? But once again, I don't think I should have been out for the whole season. I can't tell you a number. Who knows? But I just don't think -- I really want to play this year. I have been trying to make a big effort to change the image of the league. That's not the image that David Stern wants to put forth. I have this album coming out. It's positive. It's about love. It's not rap or hard core. I am trying to do nice things.

Lauer: Is this a case of three strikes and you are out. You have been suspended 10 times since you entered the league in 1999 and twice by the NBA last season and five more times during the 2002-2003 season. You destroyed a camera at Madison Square Garden. You were in anger management?

Artest: You know what? I need that camera. Because I paid $100,000 for that camera. I don't have a piece of it.

Lauer: How many chances do they give you?

Artest: To answer your question, I think that I never harmed anybody. That's really important. You don't want to harm anybody. And all of these suspensions, I am glad that nobody was hurt. I took it out on something. A technical foul on a camera. But I never hurt a person.

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Slideshow: Ugly Brawl Leads To Mass Suspensions

Video: Players, Fans Engage In NBA Brawl In Detroit

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Lauer: On Friday night, it started with an incident between you and Ben Wallace and went from the court into the stands. What caused you t go into the stands, Ron?

Artest: Like I said, this is the third time that I have are been attacked by stuff out the stands. The first time I told the referee. Another time in Detroit, I told the referee, it was some slime or something. At Boston I had slime thrown at me. I just left.

Lauer: Was this self-defense in your opinion?

Artest: You know ... It was (unintelligible pause) I was frustrated. The tape speaks for itself. I was frustrated. And I hope that if that happened to any other players in the NBA they won't react how I reacted.

Lauer: The guy throws a drink at you. What if you just did nothing? Other than the fact you had a bruised ego, were you facing a threat?

Artest: It was scary when it came on me. It almost went in my eye. I was like, 'wow,' It was like 'wow' and you know ... it was just a human reaction. The outcome -- to see the kids crying on TV. You (saw) what happened. And Jermaine O'Neal and Steven Jackson and the Pacers organizations, we wish this had not happened.

Lauer: At any point during this melee in the stands and back on the floor fighting with another fan, did it pop into your mind: I have crossed the line here? I am way over the line?

Artest: I think the tape speaks for itself. I think if you watch everything on the tape, you will be able to answer that. All I can say is I am trying to stay positive. That's all I can do.

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Related Story:
The fan accused of instigating Friday night's basketball brawl has broken his silence.
Slideshow: Fan Accused In Brawl Speaks Out
Video: Accused Fan Speaks Out

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Lauer: Let me talk about a bigger picture. You are paid $5 million a year by the Indiana Pacers. Does your team deserve some form of discipline on your part for that salary?

Artest: I don't understand the question.

Lauer: Should you be more disciplined as an athlete who makes $5 million a year making a professional sport?

Artest: I think I am pretty disciplined. I think you should look at the tape. You should hopefully answer the questions for me. That would help me out a lot.

Lauer: Are there two Ron Artests? Your father said this is a nice kid. Talk to people in queens and they all like him?

Artest: Right.

Lauer: And yet there is this other very aggressive athlete that is another -- I guess an alter ego of Ron Artest. Is that fair in your opinion?

Artest: When I first walked into the game in Detroit, the fans were booing me. But I went over there and showed all of the fans love. They can vouch for me. In Philadelphia I do the same thing. I always interact with the fans. In Cleveland, the first game of the season, i interacted with the fans. Fans in other states I think they really like he and see how I am when I come to play. I think you can get some interviews from some of those fans.

Lauer: I know you have a CD you held it up earlier? Are you worried this will impact the success of that?

Artest: I think things happen. Obviously, you want to move on and keep things positive. The girls don't want anything to do with what happened. I was doing this before this happened. I was promoting and letting people see the interest I have in music. The project, you have to turn in a CD three months before the release date. This has been in process for along time. I am still working hard on my game. My scoring average went up a little bit and the team was winning. We were winning as a team, the Pacers as a whole.

Lauer: What is the fallout from this? What is it going t to mean for players and fans in the NBA? Are we approaching a day when there is a partition put up between the court and the spectators in this sport?

Artest: I mean, I think you just move on. Things happen and you move on. Things happen and you move on. I think -- nobody benefits from this situation. You move on. And the NBA is a great league.

Lauer: There were families at the game and kids at home watching it?

Artest: Yeah, I got four kids.

Lauer: Even the kids who did not see it live have seen this tape over and over again.

Artest: I didn't want the kids to see it. You played it.

Lauer: That's fair. What do you say to the 12-year-old fan of the sport who has seen this is trying to come to terms with what they have seen?

Artest: They've seen disrespect from the crowd and then they seen a frustrated reaction from a player. They got to understand that sometimes things happen. We don't want to go to war. Nobody wants to die, but things happen and you move on. You try to move on and try to make everything positive. What I can tell the kids, things happen. Try to move on and always try to stay positive and keep positive people around you. That's how you will get by.

Lauer: Do you think you will be successful in appealing your suspension?

Artest: I am going to leave that to the players association and my lawyers. I just hope that the decision makers can see that, you know, when I was hit by it, I try to keep a good clean game and have the fans enjoy the game. There was only five seconds left. -- 45 seconds left. I could have been punched in my face. I did not try to guard my face. I had something thrown at me. … It doesn't look good. I have kids. That 12-year-old you were talking about, I don't want him to see that. I understand Ben Wallace just had a death in his family and I just had a death in my family. But everything is positive. Look at this. Y'all have a good morning.

Lauer: We appreciate you joining us this morning and we want to thank Billy and Marco on radio now in Indianapolis for helping us with this interview.