Metta World Peace is an NBA Champion and All-Star best known for scoring the winning shot in the 2010 NBA Championship Game with the Lakers. Considered one of the NBA’s premier defenders, he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004. However, Metta is also known for receiving the longest suspension in NBA history for his part in the Malice in the Place brawl, which took place in the infamous Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons game. Open about his struggles with depression and anxiety, Metta has become one of the leading advocates for mental health awareness and now candidly speaks about his inspirational recovery journey in his speaking engagements.
Growing up in a neighbourhood immersed in drugs and violence, Metta turned to basketball to escape from the toxic environment. In 1997, he enrolled at St. John’s University, launching his college basketball career. Showing great talent, he rose to prominence playing in notable basketball tournaments around New York City, including the Nike Pro City in Manhattan, the Dyckman Basketball Tournament and the Hoops in the Sun Tournament. In 1999, he was selected by the Chicago Bulls, playing 175 games with them over two and a half years. As a leading defender, he went on to play for several distinguished teams, including the Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers, as well as the Sichuan Blue Whales and Pallacanestro Cantu.
Making headlines for publicly thanking his therapist after making the winning shot at the 2010 NBA games, Metta received lots of praise from fans for helping to break down the stigma associated with mental health. Finding redemption for previous mistakes by committing himself to help others, Metta raffled his championship ring to benefit charities providing mental health services to underrepresented communities. He also appeared before Congress as a champion of the Mental Health in Schools Act. In acknowledgement of his advocacy, he was awarded the NBA’s Citizenship Award and the Mental Health Hero Award.
Making regular media appearances, Metta was the star of the Emmy-nominated Showtime Sports documentary, Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story, which featured notable NBA stars, including Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant. He is also the bestselling author of No Malice: My Life in Basketball. Metta is now a prominent entrepreneur as the founder of Artest Management Group, currently raising $1BN to support his portfolio companies. From the Projects in Queensbridge, NY to NBA stardom, Metta shares his fascinating story in his speaking engagements, opening up about his public journey with mental health.
Social Media
Books
No Malice: My Life in Basketball or: How a Kid from Queensbridge Survived the Streets, the Brawls, and Himself to Become an NBA Champion
How to hire Metta World Peace
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Metta World Peace for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
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