Former NBA player Ron Artest, now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest and formerly as Metta World Peace, has used his social media to offer himself as a mediator in the Middle East. “I need to be the US ambassador to Israel and Palestine. When that vacancy opens up, I would like my name to be on the list. I need to help,” he wrote.
His offer of services would be welcome if he had diplomatic experience and also if his background was clean, but it turns out that Artest was the main protagonist in the biggest fight in NBA history. On November 19, 2004, in a game between the Pistons and the Pacers, the forward was hit with a glass of drink and did not hesitate to jump into the stands to punch Detroit fans.
The infamous fight was dubbed ‘Malice at the Palace’ and involved players from both teams and numerous spectators, who jumped onto the court. There were nine injuries, two of which required hospitalisation. In the locker room, Artest asked Stephen Jackson, another of his teammates who went into the stands: “Do you think we’re going to get in trouble?”. He replied: “Are you serious, brother? Trouble? Ron, we’ll be lucky if we have a damn job”.
I have promoted world peace and am totally committed to serving the United States and the world, particularly the Middle East and North Africa
And for a while they lost him.Artest was suspended for the remainder of the 2004-05 regular season and playoffs, a total of 86 games. Among all those sanctioned, especially Pacers players, they accumulated 146 games.
In jail for domestic violence
Off the court, Artest was sentenced to 20 days in jail for domestic violence in 2007. He would only serve 10. He retired in 2017 after stints with the Bulls, Pacers, Kings, Rockets, Lakers and Knicks. In total, he played 991 games in the NBA over 17 seasons.
The former player believes that he has “experience in resolving disputes. More than others. I have also promoted world peace. And I have identified opportunities for world peace and a peaceful life. I am totally committed to serving the United States and the world, particularly the Middle East and North Africa.”
Artest may want to follow in the footsteps of Dennis Rodman, another former NBA player famous for his eccentricities and controversies on the court, who traveled several times to North Korea on goodwill missions given his good relationship with dictator Kim Jong-un.
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