There have been many colorful personalities throughout NBA history, but very few can match the uniqueness of the man formerly known as Ronald William Artest Jr. Whether it was his relentless defense or simply the way he carried himself off the court, Artest was always someone who was never afraid to show his true self. Even if it often rubbed some people the wrong way.
So, it is safe to say that it wasn't much of a surprise when he decided to step up his unique personality and legally change his name to Metta World Peace in 2011. Sure, the cause was noble as the versatile forward wanted to use his platform to promote peace and positivity, but even though it quickly became one of the biggest stories around the league that offseason, and many believed Ron, or rather Metta, from that point on, loved every second of the decision.
However, as he recently admitted, that wasn't exactly the case.
"That was crazy. That felt, I felt so embarrassed. I remember that day. I'm like, no way. I said, 'You dumb idiot.' I was coming off the bench. And I remember first checking in. And I said, 'Oh my goodness, this World Peace in the back of my jersey, you stupid idiot.' I remember saying that to myself. I was so embarrassed to take off. I didn't even want to take it off, but that was it," Sandiford-Artest opened up in his recent interview with NBAT2.
Even though such a drastic name change naturally garnered a lot of attention, for Metta, it took a while to get used to this different chapter of his already iconic career.
For years, the name Ron Artest was synonymous with gritty basketball, relentless defense and a style of play that often lived right on the edge of what many considered dirty. Turning that page and going in a completely different direction definitely felt strange. As he explained, it wasn't something he instantly embraced.
"You know, people say world peace all the time. You have to say world peace multiple times. It took a while to get used to that idiotic name. I was embarrassed out there on the floor," he added.
One of the toughest players of his era, checking into an NBA game with "World Peace" written across the back of his jersey, is definitely not something fans thought they would ever see.
And just as strange as it looked from the outside, Metta admitted it felt just as awkward from the inside. It was a sharp contrast from the image Artest was building throughout most of his career.
This definitely wasn't the first time the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year looked back at what he considers one of the stranger decisions of his life.
But no matter how uncomfortable it felt at the time, the feeling eventually passed.
As years went by, the MWP moniker simply became another chapter in his colorful basketball journey. From his early days with the Chicago Bulls , to his peak with the Indiana Pacers , which unfortunately remains heavily connected to his involvement in the infamous Malice at the Palace incident, to later stops in Sacramento , Houston and Los Angeles , where he finally became an NBA champion wearing the iconic purple and gold jersey, Metta always found a way to stand out. One way or another.
The retired forward believed that professional athletes should use their visibility and platform to try to spark change whatever way possible. The name change may have felt awkward at first, but it eventually became another chapter in the story of a player who was never afraid to do things differently.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
