Heading into the 2011-12 NBA season, Ron Artest decided to make a bold move by changing his name to Metta World Peace.
The news of the name change surprised quite a few people as many didn’t know the reasoning behind it all initially, but it wasn’t uncommon for professional athletes in the NBA or NFL to make the change with World B. Free and Chad Ochocinco being prime examples.
After a year of supporting the new name, rumors started to circulate of World Peace going back to Artest. Apparently, those rumors were false with the veteran forward telling all his followers on Twitter that he has no intention to do so:
I did not change my name .. World Peace will be on the back of the jersey this year.Stay tuned for new music , videos , viral comedy etc..
— Metta WorldPeace (@MettaWorldPeace) August 29, 2012
Unlike the former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chad Ochocinco going back to Chad Johnson, World Peace has become content with his new name and for the time being has no plans to switch back.
As a quick refresher, Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace for the following reason in a statement released back in September of last year:
“Changing my name was meant to inspire and bring youth together all around the world.”
The word “Metta” refers to a Buddhist word for loving kindness and friendliness towards all. Since the brawl he was involved while a member of the Indiana Pacers back in 2004 that resulted in a 83-game suspension, World Peace has made a valiant effort to change his ways on and off the court. It has been a bumpy road at times, but the defensive-minded star has changed many people’s perception of him in a very positive way.
The upcoming NBA season may potentially be a promising one for World Peace as he will remain a starter and will benefit immensely from the presence of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard on the floor. It will be a make-or-break season for World Peace with plenty of entertaining off-the-court antics sure to follow.
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Make sure to check out today’s edition of Let’s Be Honest – starring Pritesh Shah!
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