Tag: Metta World Peace

Metta Sandiford-Artest learned golf from a Lakers legend, shows love for game at 2023 U.S. Open

“I think golf is a sport for me,” said Sandiford-Artest, who learned the game from a Lakers legend.

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LOS ANGELES – With a U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, celebrities were bound to come out and catch the action off Wilshire Boulevard.

But Justin Thomas was surprised to see one particular person following his Tuesday practice round alongside Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and amateur Michael Brennan.

“I was like, damn, I didn’t think I’d get to see Metta World Peace today,” he said with a laugh.

The former NBA champion and All-Star was known as both Ron Artest and Metta World Peace, but now goes by Metta Sandiford-Artest. The 43-year-old spent 17 seasons in the NBA with six different teams, but 18 months ago found the game of golf thanks to another former basketball player, none other than three-time champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend “Big Game James” Worthy.

“I don’t know. I don’t even know NBA players’ names, let alone these guys,” said Sandiford-Artest. “I love basketball, but I really love golf now. I’m so happy I found the sport. Really, really happy I found the sport.”

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The New York native and St. John’s product freely admits he isn’t very good, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking advantage of every opportunity to play that he can.

“I’ve been getting invited to play at different places, so I’m showing up to any course I can play at, especially a good course,” he said with a laugh. “If people invite me anywhere, like Bermuda, I’ll go play.”

Sandiford-Artest is really just happy he can get his ball in the air and going straight for once, noting how “My first year and a half, everything was scraping the floor.” A Lakers star in his own right and way, Sandiford-Artest won his only title with the team in 2010 and plans to come catch the action this week at the ultra-exclusive club tucked away in Beverly Hills.

“I like it because you have to focus. If you fall asleep, the balls are gonna turn right or left on you. So you can focus and compete, and you’re competing against yourself for the most part, which I really love.

“I think golf is a sport for me.”

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Rockets rookie Tari Eason encouraged by impressive summer performances

“You see the rich NBA lineage before you, and you want to put on a show and prove yourself,” says Rockets rookie Tari Eason, who did just that at summer league and at the Drew League.

HOUSTON — Fresh off a dazzling performance in front of a packed gymnasium at the Drew League, rookie forward Tari Eason came out Sunday to meet fans and sign autographs during the Streetball Tour featuring former NBA champion and Rockets icon Metta World Peace.

“It is super cool to engage with the community,” Eason said after the Adidas-sponsored event. “Any time you get to meet new people and engage with fans, it is super special. I enjoy the time I have with them.”

Eason has been very busy since he heard his name called in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft. The 6-foot-8 forward from LSU was named to the All-Summer League first team in Las Vegas after averaging 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game with the summer Rockets.

“Honestly, it is something I have been looking forward to my whole life,” Eason said of being selected to the NBA’s first team in Las Vegas. “You see summer league and you see all the guys who played before you. You see the rich NBA lineage before you, and you want to put on a show and prove yourself. So, I went out there and tried to do that.”

His work ethic aligns with what Rockets head coach Stephen Silas is trying to instill in his young core of players. Eason never misses an opportunity to improve his game. He was in the gym late at the University of Cincinnati before catching an early morning flight to Houston.

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“I am always working on my game,” said Eason, who was also awarded Drew League Player of the Week honors after recording 37 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks while leading his team to victory in Los Angeles. “I love to hoop, so anywhere a hoop is, I love to go play.”

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Metta World Peace actually approves of Facebook’s Meta rebrand

That’s so … Meta?

The jokes were everywhere after Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook would be rebranded as Meta: There was already someone with that name, and that person was former NBA star Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest).

But there were those wondering if he would be furious that his name was taken — albeit spelled Meta and not Metta?

The answer is … no! Metta loves Meta!

According to a tweet he sent on Thursday evening, he said his phone was “ringing non stop” as he congratulated the company on the rebrand. He even got a response from the company’s Twitter account for his efforts:

You know what’s coming: That’s so … Meta? Metta?

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Facebook is rebranding as Meta and everyone made the same, obvious sports joke

Meta … World Peace?

Facebook is Facebook no more.

Meta is the new name, as announced by chief exec Mark Zukerberg on Thursday, a rebrand that comes at time with the company is under fire after, as USA TODAY reported, “Facebook is embroiled in crisis over a cache of documents leaked by former product manager Frances Haugen and provided to Congress.”

But that led to so many Twitter jokes on Thursday, and the one that I saw SO much of had to do with a certain ex-NBA star formerly known as Ron Artest.

That’s right: Here’s a roundup of Meta — er Metta World Peace jokes:

Metta World Peace reflects on elbowing James Harden in 2012

Metta World Peace claims his elbow on James Harden years ago was not “meant for him.”

Nine years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Oklahoma City Thunder in what was a marquee matchup just before the start of the season. Things got a little scrappy when Metta World Peace celebrated after getting a bucket by viciously elbowing then-Thunder guard James Harden. It was uncalled for and it did seem intentional. Harden suffered a concussion on the play, and World Peace was later suspended for seven games.

However, the former Lakers forward told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports, that it was indeed not intentional:

“It wasn’t meant for James (Harden) … I didn’t even know who was behind me. I just felt someone push me; I didn’t know who it was… It was very unfortunate.”

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Metta World Peace says Lakers would have defeated Suns if Anthony Davis wasn’t injured

Metta World Peace believes the Los Angeles Lakers would’ve advanced against the Phoenix Suns if Anthony Davis remained healthy.

Though the 2021 NBA Finals are over — with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the title — many what-ifs regarding other teams that dealt with injuries have been prevalent.

The Los Angeles Lakers, who were the defending champions, had aspirations of repeating until the Phoenix Suns came back to take the first-round series.

Los Angeles held a 2-1 series lead after three games, but the situation reversed after Anthony Davis suffered two lower-leg injuries.

Davis suffered a knee sprain in Game 3 but played through the pain in Game 4; however, he took a hard fall in Game 4 and suffered a groin strain.

From that moment, the balance of power tilted toward Phoenix, which blew out the Lakers in the final games of the series.

Though it’ll never be known how the series would’ve played out with a healthy Davis, Metta World Peace believes the Lakers would’ve advanced. He made the declaration when discussing his thoughts on the Bucks-Suns matchup and Giannis Antetokounmpo being a great player, via Chris Sheridan of BasketballNews.com:

“Now imagine, Giannis, one of the greatest players in the league, doesn’t really have to go up against the greatest team, then you would say Giannis was going to win. Because the Lakers got hurt. The Lakers were going to beat Phoenix before Anthony Davis got hurt.”

World Peace, also known as Metta Sandiford-Artest, played for the Lakers from 2009-2013 and won a championship with the team in 2010, so it’s reasonable for him to believe in the Lakers.

Still, the Suns didn’t have much of an answer for Davis when he bounced back from a disappointing Game 1, and even though the Lakers struggled to hit perimeter shots with Davis, they looked poised enough to overcome those struggles and live another series.

With the disappointing first-round exit now behind the Lakers, the critical focus going forward is assembling a stronger roster through the NBA draft and free agency, each occurring within this week.

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Former NBA champion Metta World Peace believes Sixers are slept on

Former NBA champion Metta World Peace believes Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are being slept on in the East.

The Philadelphia 76ers are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and they have a 2-0 lead on the Washington Wizards in their Round 1 playoff series, but there are some who believe they do not have what it takes to reach the NBA Finals in 2021.

The Sixers are led by a talented star duo in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as well as a borderline All-Star in Tobias Harris, but there are a lot of prognosticators who believe that the Brooklyn Nets or the Milwaukee Bucks should be the favorites in the East.

It makes sense as the Nets and the Bucks have bigger names. Brooklyn has the star trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden while the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and others, but none of those players have been as dominant as Embiid has been in the 2020-21 season.

Former NBA champion Metta World Peace took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to tell people to stop sleeping on the Sixers and he cited Embiid as the reason.

Philadelphia will be looking to go up 3-0 on the Wizards when the teams face off at 7 p.m. EDT from Capital One Arena.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Former NBA champion Metta World Peace believes Sixers are slept on

Former NBA champion Metta World Peace believes Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are being slept on in the East.

The Philadelphia 76ers are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and they have a 2-0 lead on the Washington Wizards in their Round 1 playoff series, but there are some who believe they do not have what it takes to reach the NBA Finals in 2021.

The Sixers are led by a talented star duo in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as well as a borderline All-Star in Tobias Harris, but there are a lot of prognosticators who believe that the Brooklyn Nets or the Milwaukee Bucks should be the favorites in the East.

It makes sense as the Nets and the Bucks have bigger names. Brooklyn has the star trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden while the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and others, but none of those players have been as dominant as Embiid has been in the 2020-21 season.

Former NBA champion Metta World Peace took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to tell people to stop sleeping on the Sixers and he cited Embiid as the reason.

Philadelphia will be looking to go up 3-0 on the Wizards when the teams face off at 7 p.m. EDT from Capital One Arena.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Metta World Peace, Robert Horry, don’t believe LeBron’s era is ‘soft’

Robert Horry believes LeBron James should also be the Finals MVP because of his consistency in the series for the Lakers.

There seems to be yet another new narrative forming to discredit the excellence of LeBron James in advance of winning his 4th championship. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith got the ball rolling earlier this week when he said that LeBron James will never surpass Michael Jordan in his view because James played in what he called “the softest era” in NBA history. Players of today would rightfully challenge that assertion, but some other NBA legends are here to say that isn’t true either.

Lakers legend Metta World Peace went on twitter on Friday morning to say that LeBron’s era is not the softest, reminding many that his era was also LeBron’s era. I don’t think anybody would call World Peace/Ron Artest soft.

Also on Friday, seven-time NBA champion and Spectrum SportsNet L.A. commentator Robert Horry told Dan Patrick that he doesn’t understand why LeBron’s accomplishments are constantly discredited. Horry also told Patrick he belives the 2020 Finals MVP will go to LeBron.

“I have to go with LeBron because of the bad game that AD had. To be the MVP of the Finals, you can’t have a bad game. Plus LeBron got snubbed on the season MVP in my opinion and there’s no way he won’t lose this one. He’s probably going to have a phenomenal game tonight and he’s going to be MVP.”

Metta World Peace on Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving tandem: ‘It’s hard to see them two losing’

Nets fans have to wait until 2020-21 to see Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving work together. Metta World Peace thinks it’ll be worth the wait.

Even if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had elected to make a triumphant comeback at Disney World in Orlando when the NBA resumes the 2019-20 season in late July, 2020-21 is expected to be the big year for the Nets tandem.

With one of the best players in the NBA dawning a Brooklyn uniform, along with one of the best point guards in the game, joined by a supporting cast of Caris LeVert, DeAndre Jordan, Joe Harris and more, they’re expected to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, if not the best.

Because of the two players atop the Nets organization, four-time NBA All-Defensive team member Metta World Peace only sees winning in Brooklyn’s future, as he explained to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson on the Scoop B Radio podcast:

They both shoot well off the ball and they both can attack closeouts. They’re going to be fine. Kyrie is an ideal player because he can catch and shoot. That puts him on another level and he needs somebody like Durant. I mean, he tried to win it by himself and he wasn’t having no success, right? So he needs Durant, and it will be very hard with those two healthy. I don’t know. It’s hard to see them two losing. I don’t know how it happens.

RELATED: Metta World Peace on Kyrie Irving: ‘Just do what you wanna do’