ENSTARZ EXCLUSIVE: Metta Sandiford-Artest Reveals The NBA Teams He Would Play For Today
Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly known as Metta World Peace and Ron Artest, has been retired from the NBA for over a decade.
Despite the well-deserved rest the last few years, the former Indiana Pacer named these teams he would join today if he were to ditch retirement and suit back up on the red carpet of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in Feburary.
"Oh you're trying to get me in trouble!" he laughed. The 44-year-old was seemingly undecided, and couldn't pick just one, so he answered with his top three teams instead.
"The Knicks, the Pacers, the Lakers," he answered.
The baller also gave advice for his former team, the Indiana Pacers — where the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend was hosted, and what they needed to do to secure their first ever NBA championship.
"I think they have to keep the tradition alive, this is Indiana city. This is the land of the greatest defensive players in the history of basketball, right here in Nap Town," he said. "As long as they keep that passion and understand what the culture is here, they can do something special."
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The All-Star Celebrity exhibition game, held at Lucas Oil Stadium, featured a variety of stars and celebrities from sports, music, media and entertainment. Sandiford-Artest played in the game alongside Jennifer Hudson, Jack Ryan, NFL star CJ Stroud, who ENSTARZ also interviewed exclusively, Olympic High Jump Champion Gianmarco Tamberi, Grammy Award-nominated musician Adam Blackstone, Backstreet Boys' member AJ McLean, and more.
The New York native signed with the Indiana Pacers in 2001 where he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was also named an NBA All-Star in 2004.
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Five years later, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers where they went on to win the NBA championship in 2010.
In 2025, the NBA All-Star game will take place in San Francisco. Los Angeles will host the eventful weekend in 2026.
