Hero.

There isn’t a more overused word in sports. Meet an athlete who fits the definition.

His name is Ron Artest and on Nov. 19, 2004, he jumped into the stands to confront a fan he incorrectly believed was the one who pelted him with a cup of Diet Coke. In the ensuing brawl between members of the Indiana Pacers for which Artest played and fans of the Detroit Pistons, Artest clocked a fan. Artest was suspended for the remaining 73 regular-season games plus the playoffs.

The word on Artest had been out for years: Talented but crazy.

Here’s a better scouting report: Pro-active hero.

Noted as a defensive specialist, Artest scored 20 points in Game 7 to help the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Boston Celtics for the NBA championship last June. During a postgame interview, Artest stared into TV cameras and told the world he wanted to thank his psychiatrist. He later corrected himself because his therapist actually is a psychologist.

Here’s a guy who desperately needed help with his mental health, was ordered by the court to receive it, and thanked the person who helped him deal with his intense anger issues. Now look what he’s doing.

Artest is raffling off his one and only NBA championship ring on his website, ronartest.com, for $2 per raffle ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets). All the proceeds are going to fund mental health services for youths. Artest wears a size 15 ring, but when it came time to order his championship ring, which features, according to his website, “16 oversized round brilliant white diamonds,” he ordered a size 11 so that he wouldn’t be tempted to keep it.

He said he hopes to raise $2 million. He already has raised awareness for the long-neglected, once-too-taboo-to-mention area of health care.

Who knows how much trouble and embarrassment Artest could have avoided had he had the sort of counseling help so many youths will get thanks to his raffle, which ends when a winner is picked on Christmas Day.

Dave Johnson, CEO at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center in Lawrence, is stoked about what Artest is doing.

“I have been the head of a mental health agency for more than 31 years and the more I learn about kids’ mental health problems, the more I am convinced this area is our greatest resource need,” Johnson said. “Some facts: The median age of first-onset of anxiety disorders in the U.S. is 11 years old. Eight percent of high school students have attempted suicide. The younger you are, the less likely you are to get the mental health services you need.”

Johnson said he is going to log onto ronartest.com to purchase raffle tickets.

“If I win, I will donate it to Bert Nash for a raffle to support WRAP, our program to place mental health clinicians in schools,” Johnson said.

Artest just might inspire other athletes to have similar raffles. For example, Olympians who can’t decide which child to leave their gold medals to might donate them for auction to benefit local mental health centers. The possibilities are endless.

It’s only November, but so far, Artest deserves serious consideration for Sportsman of the Year for 2010.