For all of his quirks and the controversies he had gotten himself involved in, including the infamous "Malice at the Palace" that he sparked in 2004, Metta World Peace still earned a pretty penny for the duration of his his 17-year NBA career, earning $83,305,694. In addition, he also earned millions more from endorsement deals and partnerships with multiple companies.
Although it's been almost a decade since the brusque 6'7″ forward last played in the big leagues, it's safe to say he's set some money aside for the future. However, according to the owner of a bakery in Vancouver, Metta's family can't seem to afford to pay for a birthday cake, instead opting to propose a collaboration.
The owner of the Oh Sweet Day! Bake Shop, Fanny Lam, felt slighted that a multi-millionaire like World Peace would rather ask for a free birthday cake instead of supporting local businesses like hers by actually paying for them.
In a post on the bakery's Instagram account, a representative of Metta's family reached out to Lam to propose a collaboration in which a birthday cake will be provided free of charge for the birthday party of Metta's son. In exchange, the bakery will be credited in social media posts on various platforms.
Lam relayed that while she never hesitates to heed requests from charities and community organizations, she often turns down the same request for free products from influencers and corporations.
"It raises a question of why small businesses like us, who often have the least resources to spare, are being asked to constantly provide free products for people or organizations that can afford to pay for them," Lam stated .
Proposals like the one from Metta's family aren't new in today's world, as businesses, regardless of size and scale, are often approached by social media influencers, who ask for free products and services in exchange for the promotion of their companies to their thousands of followers. And while exposure is always welcome, Lam contended that it doesn't pay their bills.
"Our business relies on word of mouth and support from our paying customers," Lam furthered. "Exposure isn't our main focus. Exposure doesn't pay the bills."
Metta has kept himself busy after his NBA career, working diligently to establish The Artest Management Group, a multi-tiered company with a film division and an accountancy department that seeks to help professional athletes with their tax issues.
That being said, it's safe to assume that Metta has more than enough to pay for a birthday cake, which Lam estimates would have cost him just $200.
However, the bone of contention was the expectation that a small business owner would provide a cake for free, with the request coming from a wealthy former professional athlete who absolutely has the means to pick up the tab.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
