Yup, the rumour of Ron Metta Artest Willy Wonka David Blaine Ronald McDonald World Peace joining the top British league is still going strong.

Ever since Artest mentioned on Twitter that England was a country he would be interested in playing in, the UK has been talking about it on a regular basis.

Today has seen the Cheshire Jets director, Pete Hawkins, state that a verbal agreement has recently been reached over the basics of the contract which means they are the current favourites in the race to secure his signature.

As with everything Ron Artest-related though, the details of a potential move are all very sketchy. Mention of him completing a movie in the UK towards the end of 2011 could increase the likelihood of him sticking around and potentially joining a team but equally likely is that just as Ron is about to board his flight to England, he becomes distracted by a passing butterfly and follows it into the roaring engine.

This is the kind of uncertainty that surrounds the current Laker forward.

All that I CAN be certain of, is that if he spends any time in the BBL, the league will receive a tremendous short term boost.

To which I will raise my glass of Pimms.