Achieving success in your career earns you fame, and that is what has been the case for American former basketball player, Ron Artest. In his career, he has accomplished a lot in that, years after his retirement, people still talk a lot about him. But what is it about him that makes people continue to talk about him?
In this article, we are going to discuss who he is, his age, his career details, his net worth, who his wife is, how his relationship panned out, and why he had to change his name.
Read this article to find out more about who Ron Artest is.
Ron Artest Age and Background
American retired professional basketball player Ron Artest, also known as Metta World Peace.
As of 2023, he will be 43 years old.
He was born on November 13, 1979, in Queens, New York.
In the NBA, Artest enjoyed a lengthy and fruitful career, and in 2010 his Los Angeles Lakers team won the title.
Isaiah and Daniel are two of his younger brothers.
At La Salle Academy, he was a basketball player in high school.
He played on the same Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team as future NBA stars Lamar Odom and Elton Brand.
Growing up, Ron Artest saw a teammate, 19-year-old Lloyd Newton, be killed on the court in Niagara Falls, New York, following a fight at a 1991 YMCA basketball competition.
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Career Beginnings
The Chicago Bulls selected Artest with the 16th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft from St. John’s University.
Before being moved to the Indiana Pacers in 2002, he played in three seasons with Chicago.
Artest immediately earned a reputation for his gritty play and tenacious defense.
Artest took part in one of the most controversial occurrences in NBA history in 2004.
Artest and Pistons center Ben Wallace got into a physical fight during a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Ron Artest was hit with a cup of beer that a fan had thrown after the altercation was broken up as he was lying down on the scorer’s table.
Then Artest charged into the crowd and started fighting with spectators, sparking a huge riot between players and spectators.
Artest continues to have a lucrative career in spite of the scandal.
Over the years, he has played for a number of groups, including the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks.
As a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010, Artest won his first NBA Championship, contributing significantly to the team’s championship run.
Ron Artest Net Worth
How much is Ron Artest worth today?
Ron Artest’s net worth is estimated to be $30 million
During his NBA career, Ron Artest earned $77 million in salary.
He made the most of his wealth playing in the NBA, but he also profited from a number of business enterprises and sponsorship deals.
Ron has appeared on television in a variety of other media than basketball.
He participated in the 13th season of the reality dancing competition “Dancing with the Stars,” participated in a panel discussion for “Figure it Out” on Nickelodeon, and played a newscaster on “Key and Peele,” a Comedy Central sketch program.
Artest competed in “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2018.
In addition, Artest published a rap album in 2006 titled “My World” with contributions from P. Diddy, Mike Jones, Juvenile, and Big Kap.
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Name Change
Ron Artest has changed his name a couple of times.
The former NBA player officially changed his name to Metta World Peace in 2011.
In an effort to promote world peace and increase public awareness of mental health issues, the name was changed.
World Peace stated why he chose the name “Metta” in an interview with ESPN, saying that it is a Buddhist term that denotes “loving kindness and friendliness for all.”
Who is Ron Artest’s wife? Is he married?
Ron Artest’s Wife
Metta World Peace has two marriages under his belt. From 2003 through 2009, he was married to Kimsha Hatfield, his high school sweetheart.
Together, the couple has three kids, Sadie, Ron III, and Diamond.
World Peace wedded Maya, a vocalist and former member of the R&B group The Donnas, in 2014.
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