Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Jeron Artest |
| Hometown | Los Angeles, California |
| Height / Weight | 6’3” (190.5 cm) / 184 lbs (83.5 kg) |
| Sport / Position | Men’s Basketball / Guard |
| College | University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) |
| Scholarship | Athletic (Men’s Basketball) |
| Major | Computer Game Science |
| Family | Parents: Metta Sandiford-Artest, Jennifer Palma; Siblings: Ron Artest III, Sade, Diamond |
Family Legacy and Personal Roots
Jeron Artest grew up in Los Angeles, a city where the rhythm of street courts and the hum of tech startups coexist. That blend mirrors his life. He is the son of Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly Ron Artest/Metta World Peace), the NBA champion known for relentless defense and an iron will, and Jennifer Palma. With an older brother, Ron Artest III, who played at Cal State Northridge, and sisters Sade and Diamond, Jeron has a family tree rooted in competition, creativity, and community.
The Artest name carries weight in basketball circles, but Jeron’s footprint is distinct. He channels the family’s competitive DNA into dual pursuits—locking down guards on the court and building systems, games, and tools off it. The family backdrop provides a north star, while his own interests have drawn a new constellation.
Family Roster
| Family Member | Relationship | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|
| Metta Sandiford-Artest | Father | NBA veteran; defensive stalwart |
| Jennifer Palma | Mother | Supportive presence in academics and athletics |
| Ron Artest III | Brother | Played basketball at Cal State Northridge |
| Sade | Sister | Listed among Jeron’s siblings |
| Diamond | Sister | Listed among Jeron’s siblings |
College Basketball: Defense, Poise, and Growth
At UC Irvine, Jeron suited up as a guard, bringing length at 6’3” and a mindset that prizes positioning, reads, and defensive pressure. Coaches trusted him to slide across matchups, initiate sets, and steady the pace. His game matured through minutes, not just highlights.
Season Snapshot (UC Irvine)
| Season | Minutes/Game | Points/Game | Rebounds/Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | — | 2.8 | 1.3 |
| 2020–21 | 20.0 | 4.0 | 2.1 |
His progression showed in specific nights as well—career bests that flash like signposts on a long road. He posted 13 points against Bethesda, grabbed five rebounds versus Cal Poly, and swiped three steals against UC San Diego. These performances were not outliers so much as indicators of a guard who reads flow, anticipates actions, and seizes the moments when the game tilts.
Academics and Game Development: Code, Design, and Curiosity
Jeron chose Computer Game Science at UC Irvine, a degree that threads computer science, game design, and human-centered computing. It fit like a custom glove. He arrived with a head start, having developed a personal project, Jeronimo, during high school (2015–2017). At UCI, he joined the Video Game Development Club, entered game jams—time-boxed events where teams ship prototypes under pressure—and engaged with research through the university’s GLS community.
This academic path is more than coursework; it is a blueprint for problem-solving that basketball players intuitively understand. Run the play. Read the defense. Optimize the result. In code, that becomes system architecture, refactoring, QA testing, and iterative design.
Early Career and Projects: From Internships to Indie Labs
Jeron’s technical journey moved from passion to profession quickly. He landed a summer 2021 internship at Intuit as an R&D software engineer, working across the stack, translating classroom principles into production-level patterns. He contributed as a Game Designer on Charon, a USC Games project (Aug 2021–Jan 2022), sharpening his systems thinking and collaborative design chops. In 2022, he founded Test Jar Labs and serves as its CEO, steering a studio mindset that prizes experimentation, tool-making, and player-centric polish. Well before that, he started #Booksgiving (2012–2016), a community-minded initiative that hints at his broader drive to create and give back.
Professional Timeline
| Year(s) | Role | Organization/Project | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–2016 | Founder | #Booksgiving | Community and literacy initiative |
| 2015–2017 | Game Developer | Jeronimo | Personal game project |
| 2019–Present | Student-Athlete / Game Science Major | UC Irvine | Basketball, Computer Game Science |
| Summer 2021 | R&D Software Engineer Intern | Intuit | Full-stack engineering and prototypes |
| Aug 2021–Jan 2022 | Game Designer | Charon (USC Games) | Systems design and collaborative dev |
| 2022–Present | Founder & CEO | Test Jar Labs | Game/tools development and leadership |
Notable Game Performances
In a sport of runs and micro-battles, certain games crystallize a player’s arc. For Jeron, those included a scoring burst, a glass-cleaning effort, and a theft-filled stat line—each pointing to a different facet of his skill set.
| Category | Performance | Opponent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Career-high Points | 13 | Bethesda | Efficient touches, on-ball poise |
| Rebounds | 5 | Cal Poly | Timing and positioning |
| Steals | 3 | UC San Diego | Anticipation and active hands |
Style of Play: The Connective Guard
Jeron’s impact often came in the connective tissue of possessions. He defends like a chess player who thinks three moves ahead, shades drivers to help, and treats screens as puzzles to be navigated, not collided with. On offense, he values tempo and spacing—a guard who understands that a well-timed swing pass can be as dangerous as a contested shot. He thrives where details matter: close-outs, angles, recognitions.
Balancing Books, Balls, and Builds
The dual identity—athlete and developer—demands precision with time. Practices and travel coexist with sprints in IDEs, project check-ins, and testing sessions. The cadence of his days mirrors a two-a-day workout: lift and shoot in the morning, code and iterate at night. Crucially, each discipline lifts the other. Basketball adds grit and a team-first mindset; development adds systems thinking and structured creativity. Together, they shape a professional ready for complex, collaborative challenges.
Financials and Media Presence
Public information does not include Jeron’s personal net worth or income. What’s visible is an entrepreneurial trajectory—internships, project roles, and a studio under his leadership—that suggests steady momentum rather than quick flashes.
Media coverage has centered on university features highlighting the rare blend of Division I basketball and a technical major. While not a daily headline fixture, Jeron’s story resonates in spaces where sport and STEM intersect.
FAQ
Who are Jeron Artest’s parents?
His parents are Metta Sandiford-Artest, an NBA veteran, and Jennifer Palma.
What position does Jeron Artest play and how tall is he?
He is a 6’3” guard known for defense, poise, and smart reads.
What did he study at UC Irvine?
He majored in Computer Game Science, combining programming, design, and human-computer interaction.
What are his notable college basketball stats?
In 2020–21 he averaged about 4.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 20 minutes; as a freshman he put up 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds.
What standout single-game performances has he had?
He registered 13 points against Bethesda, five rebounds versus Cal Poly, and three steals against UC San Diego.
What is Test Jar Labs?
Founded in 2022, Test Jar Labs is Jeron’s venture where he serves as CEO, focusing on game and tool development.
What are some of his early tech experiences?
He developed the game Jeronimo in high school, interned at Intuit in 2021, and worked as a Game Designer on the USC Games project Charon.
Does Jeron Artest have public social media?
There is no widely cited, public social media presence associated with his profile.
Is his net worth publicly known?
No, there is no publicly available information on his net worth.
How does his family influence his path?
The family’s basketball pedigree provides a competitive foundation, while Jeron charts his own path in technology and entrepreneurship.
