Metta Sandiford-Artest (born Ronald William Artest Jr. on November 13, 1979) is a former NBA basketball player from the United States. We will see more about Ron Artest Net Worth. Before formally changing his name to Metta World Peace in 2011 and then to Metta Sandiford-Artest in 2020, he was known as Ron Artest.

Sandiford-Artest was a member of the St. John’s Red Storm basketball team in college. He appeared for six NBA clubs and earned a reputation as one of the best defenders in the league. In 2004, he was chosen as an NBA All-Star and received All-NBA accolades, as well as winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was a part of the Los Angeles Lakers when they won the NBA championship in 2010.

Sandiford-Artest was involved in a number of contentious on-court confrontations, the most infamous of which being the Malice at the Palace, and is noted for his quirky and outspoken demeanour. Sandiford-Artest worked as a player development coach for the NBA G League’s South Bay Lakers during the 2017–18 season.

Ron Artest Bio/Wiki

Early Life

Metta Sandiford-Artest was born Ronald William Artest Jr. in the Queensbridge projects in Long Island City, Queens, on November 13, 1979. Isaiah and Daniel are his younger siblings. He was a basketball player at La Salle Academy in high school. He also played on the same Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) squad as future NBA stars Elton Brand and Lamar Odom.

Artest witnessed the murder of a fellow basketball player on a basketball court in Niagara Falls, New York, when he was a child. “It was so competitive that they broke a table leg and tossed it at him, and it went straight through his heart, killing him right there on the court.”

So I’m used to playing a lot of hard basketball.”  Artest was alluding to Lloyd Newton, a 19-year-old who was stabbed in the back with a broken-off table leg following an incident at a YMCA-sponsored basketball tournament in 1991. We will see more about Ron Artest Net Worth.

Personal Life

Artest’s name was officially changed to Metta World Peace on September 16, 2011. His given name was “Metta,” and his surname was “World Peace.” World Peace said in a statement made following the name change court hearing, “Changing my name was designed to inspire and unite kids together all across the world.” World Peace picked Metta as his first name because it is a traditional Buddhist phrase that implies loving-kindness and goodwill toward everybody, according to his spokeswoman, Courtney Barnes.

Artest was prescribed depression medicine, which he flushed down the toilet in the years after the incident in the Palace. During his visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live, he was just wearing his boxer shorts.

He proceeded to see Dr Santhi Periasamy, a psychologist who assisted him in turning his life around and whom he publicly acknowledged when the Lakers won the 2010 NBA title.

When they were 15 and 14, World Peace and Kimsha Hatfield began an on-again, off-again romance. Sadie, their first child, was born in 1997. In June 2003, the two married but divorced in 2009. Kimsha appeared on the VH1 reality show Basketball Wives: LA. Sadie, Ron III, and Diamond are the couple’s three children. Ron III went on to play professional basketball. With his previous high school sweetheart Jennifer Palma, World Peace has another kid, high school basketball player Jeron.

With the birth of his eldest daughter, Sadie’s, first kid, he put a sibling through law school and became a grandfather. World Peace revealed on May 4, 2020, that he had changed his name to Metta Sandiford-Artest, uniting his last name with that of his wife, Maya Sandiford.

The Artest Management Group is Sandiford-own Artest’s firm. The firm also has a film branch and assists athletes with tax preparation. He also has a strong interest in mathematics, which he has pursued since high school and which he has used in the development of a sports app and his studies at UCLA’s analytics programme. We will see more about Ron Artest Net Worth

Jermaine Turner, an American-born Irish basketball player, became Artest’s close buddy in the late 1990s. They met on New York playgrounds and competed in competitions together in Rucker Park.

Education

Ron Artest graduated from La Salle Academy in 1997 and moved on to St. John’s University to play collegiate basketball before being picked by the Chicago Bulls in 1999. World Peace is well renowned for being one of the top defenders in the NBA.

From 1997 to 1999, Artest was a member of the St. John’s University basketball team. He majored in mathematics at St. John’s.  In 1999, he guided the Red Storm to a 14-4 Big East Conference record, a 28-9 overall record, and a trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament’s Elite Eight, where they were defeated by Ohio State.

Artest rose to prominence while competing in some of New York City’s most well-known summer basketball tournaments, including Nike Pro City in Manhattan, Hoops in the Sun Tournament at Orchard Beach in The Bronx, and The Dyckman Basketball Tournament at Dyckman Park in Washington Heights, earning him nicknames like Tru Warier and The New World Order, the latter of which was given to him by Randy Cruz, a co-founder of the Hoops in the Sun basketball league.

J.R Smith Net Worth, Early Life, Career, & Personal Life

Ron Artest Professional Career

Chicago Bulls Days 

The Chicago Bulls picked Artest with the 16th overall choice in the 1999 NBA draught.

Artest appeared in 175 games for the Bulls over the course of 22 years, the most of them as a starter, averaging 12.5 points and little over four rebounds per game. In the 1999–2000 season, he was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Indiana Pacers

On November 19, 2004, during a game between Artest’s Pacers and the host club Detroit Pistons in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Artest was in the heart of a brawl between players and spectators. Artest, Pistons centre Ben Wallace, Artest’s teammates Jermaine O’Neal and Stephen Jackson, numerous other players, and spectators John Green and A.J. Shackleford were also involved in the incident.

With less than a minute remaining, the game was called off due to the brawl. The day following the game, O’Neal, Jackson, and Wallace were all suspended indefinitely.

The NBA suspended Artest for the rest of the regular season and any playoff games a day later. Artest was suspended for 86 games, the NBA’s longest punishment for an on-court altercation.

Artest sought a trade from the Indiana Pacers early in the 2005–06 season and was placed on the team’s inactive roster. Artest’s request for a move caused a schism among his teammates. Jermaine O’Neal, a teammate, remarked, “We felt misled, a bit degraded.” In terms of their basketball friendship, O’Neal said: “The business connection has come to an end. That is a proven truth.” Larry Bird, the president of the Pacers, said he felt “betrayed” and “disappointed.”

NBA sources revealed on January 24, 2006, that the Sacramento Kings have agreed to transfer Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers in exchange for Artest. However, numerous news sites stated that Artest had notified club management that he did not want to travel to Sacramento before the deal could be consummated.

Artest’s initial trade request was made because he was furious when he heard reports that the Pacers were planning to move him to Sacramento for Stojakovic early in the season, according to his agent. While Artest would not refute his agent’s narrative, he did deny that he had rejected the Sacramento trade, indicating that he would play anywhere, contradicting prior news reports that Artest was stalling the deal. It’s unknown why the transaction was delayed, but it was finally consummated on January 25, and Artest was formally traded to the Kings in exchange for Stojakovic.

Sacramento Kings

Despite being traded to the Kings in the middle of the season, Artest soon established himself on the squad by providing much-needed defence. Despite the fact that his aggressive demeanour was thought to be a liability, he got along well with his teammates and then-coach Rick Adelman. Artest’s jersey number with the Kings was #93.

The squad went on a 14–5 run after adding Artest in late January 2006, which was the team’s greatest run of the season. The Kings finished ninth in the Western Conference after breaking.500. “Ron Artest has injected fresh life into the Sacramento Kings and increased their prospects of making the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year,” ESPN said. “Artest has Kings back in postseason chase,” Fox Sports said.

Following a flagrant foul (elbow to the head) on Manu Ginóbili, he was banned for Game 2 of the team’s first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. In six games, the Kings were ousted from the playoffs.

Following the playoffs, Artest volunteered to contribute his entire salary to the organisation in order to keep teammate Bonzi Wells, who had become a free agent following the 2005–06 NBA season. He also joked that if Wells did not re-sign with the Kings, he would kill him.

The Houston Rockets later acquired Wells, who was eventually transferred to the New Orleans Hornets for former Sacramento Kings player Bobby Jackson. Artest also volunteered to contribute his salary to keep head coach Rick Adelman, whose contract had expired at the end of the previous season. Adelman and the Kings were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension and therefore parted ways.

Houston Rockets

On July 29, 2008, it was announced that Artest, along with Patrick Ewing Jr. and Sean Singletary, would be moved to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Bobby Jackson, freshly selected player Donté Greene, a 2009 first-round lottery selection, and monetary considerations. Due to Greene’s rookie contract signing on July 14, the agreement was declared official on August 14. Yao Ming was largely favourable in his reaction to the move, but joked that “hopefully he’s not fighting anymore and going after a man in the fans.”

“This is Tracy (McGrady) and Yao’s squad, you know,” Artest responded. I’m not going to get worked up over it. I get what Yao is saying, but I’m still in the ghetto. That isn’t likely to change anytime soon. I’m not going to change my way of life. Yao has worked with a lot of black players, but I don’t believe he’s ever worked with a black player that embodies his culture as well as I do.”

Later, Artest and Yao spoke over the phone extensively. “I don’t care what Adelman needs me to do, whether it’s coming off the bench, sixth, seventh man, or start,” Artest added. Whatever he wants me to do, I’m confident it will be successful.”

Artest earned his first technical as a Houston Rocket on October 30, 2008, as he sprinted into a gathering of Dallas Mavericks players and then soon went to Yao Ming, who bumped Josh Howard after the game ended. Artest attempted to drag Yao away from the play and to the foul line, but Maverick players made contact. This technical was deemed unnecessary by the TNT broadcast team, who believed it was based on Artest’s previous reputation as a tough player in the league. Artest helped the Rockets go past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons.

Artest, who was competing for a rebounding position with Kobe Bryant in Game 2 of the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers, was elbowed in the neck by Bryant, which was ultimately determined to be a Type 1 flagrant foul. After being penalised for an offensive foul, Artest became enraged and began antagonising Bryant after the play, resulting in Joe Crawford’s dismissal. In Game 3, Artest was dismissed for the second time in the fourth quarter following a harsh foul on Pau Gasol, who was trying a fast-break dunk. The next day, it was found that the foul did not merit an expulsion, and the flagrant foul was lowered.

Los Angeles Lakers

Artest signed a five-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2009. Artest wore the number 37 jersey in tribute of Michael Jackson, according to him. For 37 weeks, Michael Jackson’s Thriller album was at the top of the charts.

Artest scored a game-winning jumper at the buzzer in Game 5 of the 2010 Western Conference Finals after snagging a last-second offensive rebound. He headed to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career after scoring 25 points in Game 6 against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers won four games to three in the championship against the Boston Celtics.

In the finale, Artest scored 20 points and hit the team’s final field goal, a three-pointer late in the fourth quarter, to effectively secure the victory. Following the game, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson dubbed Artest the game’s most important player. With the Lakers, he got his first championship ring.

Artest returned to number 15, his collegiate number at St. John’s and the first number he wore in the NBA, for the 2010–2011 season.

Artest received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award from the NBA on April 26, 2011.

On April 22, 2012, while celebrating a dunk, World Peace elbowed James Harden in the head during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was dismissed after receiving a flagrant foul number two. Harden subsequently revealed that he had sustained a concussion. World Peace apologised after the game and said the elbow was “unintentional.” World Peace was banned for seven games on April 24, 2012, which meant he would miss the Lakers’ season finale against the Sacramento Kings as well as the first few playoff games.

The Lakers dismissed Brown as head coach after a 1–4 start to the 2012–13 season and hired Mike D’Antoni. He had a career-high 16 rebounds to go along with his 19 points in a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on December 18, 2012. He suffered a right leg injury against the Thunder on January 11, 2013, which sidelined him for two months. He also had a right arm injury at the time, which made it difficult for him to bend. D’Antoni moved him off the perimeter on defence and had him guard power forwards instead as his health deteriorated. He was ready to protect the perimeter again by mid-March.

World Peace tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee against the Golden State Warriors on March 25. He underwent surgery that was expected to keep him out for six weeks. He returned 12 days after his operation, against the predictions. During D’Antoni’s absence, D’Antoni used a seven-man rotation, with Kobe Bryant playing close to all 48 minutes every game. As the Lakers battled to make the playoffs, World Peace wanted to lighten his teammates’ load, if only for a few minutes.

The Lakers were the seventh seed in the playoffs, but were routed 4–0 by San Antonio in the first round. World Peace participated in Game 3 despite jogging with difficulty after having fluid extracted from a cyst behind his surgically repaired left knee due to the Lakers’ other problems. He missed the series’ last game and afterwards confessed that he returned too soon. He scored the most points (12.4) and shot the greatest percentage (.404) of any player since the 2009–10 season. Those data, however, showed that “the 33-year-old is plainly on the slide,” according to ESPN.

After four seasons with the Lakers, World Peace was released using the amnesty clause on July 11, 2013, allowing the team to avoid the salary cap.

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks signed World Peace to a two-year contract on July 16, 2013. He was released by the Knicks on February 24, 2014, when they bought out his contract.

Sichuan Blue Whales

World Peace inked a contract with the Chinese Basketball Association’s Sichuan Blue Whales on August 4, 2014. In December 2014, he was replaced on the roster by Daniel Orton due to a persistent knee issue. World Peace averaged 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game in 15 games.

Pallacanestro Cantù 

World Peace inked a contract with Pallacanestro Cantù of Italy for the remainder of the 2014–15 Lega Basket Serie A season on March 24, 2015. World Peace was dismissed from the game and charged with five fouls after being engaged in an altercation during the fourth quarter of Cantù’s season-ending Game 5 quarter-final defeat against Reyer Venezia Mestre on May 27, 2015. He left the club in July 2015 after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.

His Return To Lakers

World Peace re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on September 24, 2015, marking his second tenure with the team. He made his season debut on November 6, 2015, in a 104–98 win against the Brooklyn Nets, playing 17 minutes with a plus-minus of 12. Kobe Bryant lauded him for his defensive influence on “everyone on the court.”

World Peace re-signed with the Lakers on September 21, 2016.

With a 108–96 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on April 11, 2017, World Peace scored a team-high 18 points in the second half to help the Lakers extend their longest winning run in four years to five games. For the Lakers’ final possession in what may be his final game at Staples Center, he had the ball in his hands and the fans were on their feet. He recorded his 1,716th and 1,717th career steals during the game, passing Ron Harper for 22nd place in NBA history.

New Orleans Gators

World Peace spent the offseason with the Global Mixed Gender Basketball (GMGB) League’s New Orleans Gators.

San Diego Kings

World Peace signed a one-day deal with the San Diego Kings of the American Basketball Association in 2019 to help them prepare for the four-time reigning league champion Jacksonville Giants.

He has also worked as a coach in his career. 

In 2017–18, World Peace worked as a player development coach for the South Bay Lakers, the Los Angeles Lakers G League development squad. He played 3×3 basketball with the BIG3 during the 2018 summer. At the invitation of league co-founder Ice Cube, he played under the moniker Ron Artest to “bring back the clock a little bit.”

Ron Artest Net Worth

Ron Artest, is a retired professional basketball player from the United States, with a net worth of $35 million. Ron Artest was paid $77 million throughout his NBA career. He invests in real estate and also does charity work too.

Ron Artest Wife

He was married to Kimsha Artest from 2003 to 2009 soon after which they parted ways.

Maya Sandiford is Ron Artest’s current wife, a.k.a. Metta Sandiford. Maya is a Korean-Canadian model who is relatively unknown. She is said to be in her 30s. Although the pair keeps their personal life quiet, they started dating in 2012. World Peace stated in May 2020 that he had renamed himself Metta Sandiford-Artest, uniting his surname with that of his wife, Maya Sandiford.

Ron Artest Height, Weight & Age

He is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 118 kgs, he is pretty tall, he probably owes his height to constant basketball practice and his height and stature must have been a good advantage to him while playing.

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