Metta Sandiford-Artest

Metta Sandiford-Artest, born Ronald William Artest Jr. on November 13, 1979, is a retired American professional basketball player known for his dynamic 19-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He began his journey in basketball at St. John's University, where he played for the Red Storm before entering the NBA. In the 1999 draft, he was selected in the first round by the Chicago Bulls.

Artest's significant breakthrough came when he joined the Indiana Pacers in 2001. During his tenure there, he earned the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004 and was named an NBA All-Star the same year. However, his career faced turmoil after a notorious altercation in 2004, resulting in a suspension for the remainder of the season. He later played for the Sacramento Kings and the Houston Rockets before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009. With the Lakers, he played a pivotal role in securing the NBA Championship in 2010.

In 2011, he changed his name to Metta World Peace and continued his career with the Lakers until 2013, after which he joined the New York Knicks. Following a brief hiatus, he returned to the Lakers for the 2014-2015 season before retiring in 2016. On May 4, 2020, he announced a new name change to Metta Sandiford-Artest, honoring his second wife, Maya Sandiford.