Veteran NBA forward Metta World Peace will turn 37 this fall and he has already given some consideration to what he’ll do once his playing career is over, but he’s not ready to call it a career quite yet. Speaking to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, World Peace said he’s “absolutely” planning to play in 2016/17, adding that the NBA is “always on the front burner.”
“I’m waiting for teams. I can still play. I can play, it’s not even a question man,” World Peace said. “But, you know, sometimes you don’t get in the game, man. What are you going to do? I’m not going to be upset, I’m going to support. So if I don’t play, like this year on the Lakers I could have averaged 15 or 20 on the Lakers if I played, easily. But you know, I’ll be supportive [if I don’t play].”
The man formerly known as Ron Artest appeared in 35 games for the Lakers this past season, making five starts. He averaged 5.0 PPG and 2.5 RPG in those contests, averaging a dismal 31.1% from the floor. His stat line in Los Angeles makes it seem unlikely that he’ll get a guaranteed contract offer from an NBA team anytime soon, but the former first-round pick says he has been staying busy in the meantime, and hinted at what he’d like do once his playing career is officially over.
“Right now, I’m life coaching a lot of people that are in the NBA,” World Peace said to Begley. “I can’t say [who]. But I coach a couple players. But it’s not a thing where I’m going to hide and be that perfect mentor. I just give them the best advice I can and live my life accordingly. I’m doing that now and one day I would love to coach. The Lakers are tattooed in my heart. They gave me a second chance when everyone was down on me, they gave me a chance to win a ring. The city of Los Angeles, they put up with me.”
I wouldn’t sign him unless he changed his name back to Ron Artest. The other name is a circus act