Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace was suspended seven games on Tuesday, for his wild elbow on Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden on the weekend.
World Peace was ejected from Sunday’s game for the incident, which occurred in the middle of L.A.’s double-overtime win over the Thunder.
If it were almost any other athlete, it could have been chalked up to a brain cramp and, after little whisper from the media, the incident may have been summarily dismissed. But when a man with the track record of World Peace is involved, it becomes a media sensation.
With that in mind, sportsnet.ca decided to look back at some of Metta World Peace’s most (in)famous moments:
1. Malice at the Palace
The short version: On Nov. 19, 2004, a brawl broke out at the Palace in Auburn Hills with just 45.9 seconds remaining and the Pacers leading the Pistons 97-82.
After a hard foul from Ben Wallace as he was scoring on a lay-up, World Peace (then Ron Artest) was resting on the scorer’s table when a fan then threw a drink, hitting hit him in the chest. World Peace then charged into the stands, which sparked a full-on brawl between several players and fans. World Peace was suspended for 86 games, costing him nearly $7 million in salary.
2. What’s in a name?
In September 2011, Ron Artest officially changed his name to Metta World Peace. In light of Sunday’s incident, headline writers everywhere are thankful for his choice.
3. Moonlighting
When World Peace was a rookie with the Chicago Bulls, he applied for a job at Circuit City in order to take advantage of the company’s generous employee discount.
4. The world’s a stage
We are not certain how long the Ron Artest Comedy Tour lasted but Hayes Davenport, of Celticshub.com caught a show in Los Angeles and his review provided some fantastic insight into the wonderful world of World Peace.
5. Little man down
World Peace was suspended for a game after delivering this vicious clothesline on J.J. Barea during Game 2 of the Lakers-Mavericks series a year ago. Maybe James Harden should have kept this clothesline in mind when he got so close to the man.
6. A Hennessy at the half
World Peace made the Red Sox pitching staff look like lightweights when he told The Sporting News that, “I used to drink Hennessy at halftime” when he was a member of the Chicago Bulls from 1999-2002.
7. Cutting a rug
Last fall, World Peace appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” and was partnered with Peta Murgatroyd. Maybe that was the inspiration for the name change? Anyways, the dynamic duo didn’t last long.
I was the only black person on dancing with the stars. I went out first but I was the only black guy. #moralvictory
— Metta WorldPeace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 23, 2011
8. Random World Peace sightings
When World Peace moved from Houston to Los Angeles, he promised to show up in random places to hang out with Lakers fans. In this video, you can see the man formerly known as Ron Artest trying out a Filipino dessert called halo-halo while playing a game of Monopoly on the beach.
9. Metta World Peace, rapper
World Peace has long been dabbling in the music industry. When he was a member of the Pacers, he asked for a month off because he was tired from promoting an album. He was kindly given a two-game suspension by his employers instead.
And after the Lakers won the title in 2010, he released the following single:
10. Meet the press
His press conference after the Lakers victory in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals is the stuff in which dreams are made of. We would all share his excitement for being on a Wheaties box and his expectation that all eyes should be on him. World Peace also thanked his psychiatrist as well, which goes without saying.
11. Showering Kobe with affection
Perhaps one of the quirkiest stories about World Peace is how he approached Kobe Bryant about joining the Lakers.
In 2008, after the Lakers were eliminated by the Celtics, Bryant said he was alone in the shower fuming when he heard someone walk in. He thought it was someone from the Lakers but turned around and saw World Peace was standing there and said “I want to come help you. If I can, I’m going to find a way to come to L.A. and give you the help you need to win a title.”
Bryant is still uncertain how World peace got past security.
12. A ring for help
In an actual touching story, World Peace raffled off his Lakers championship ring for charity, as a way to pay tribute to his psychiatrist. World Peace raised more than $500,000 for mental health care by giving up the ring. Classy move.
13. A memorable Christmas
For one of the scarier stories on the list, we take you back to Christmas Day 2009, after the Lakers and Cavaliers squared off, World Peace told reporters he was walking into his home and fell down a flight of stairs.
World Peace said his wife discovered him outside of their Beverly Hills home asleep, unable to recall who he was. Artest ended up being diagnosed with a concussion and needed several stitches to close a wound on his elbow which was injured in the fall.
14. The bus ride
And in one of the funnier stories of the Metta World Peace saga, we take you back to his days with the Rockets.
During the playoffs, Artest missed the Rockets team buses from the hotel to the Staples Center prior to his team squaring off with the Lakers.
15. Just a Thriller
Ever wonder how Metta World Peace ended up with the No. 37 when he first joined the Lakers? He chose the number as a tribute to Michael Jackson. Jackson’s hit single Thriller sat atop the charts for 37 weeks.
A year later he switched back to the No. 15, his number from college and the one he wore when he broke into he NBA with the Bulls.
