Los Angeles Lakers

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Metta
World Peace
Title:F
Office #:33
Extension:
Cell Phone:13

Player Bio

BACKGROUND

HOW ACQUIRED: Signed by the Lakers as a free agent July 7, 2009.

CAREER: Selected by Chicago in the first round (16th overall) of the 1999 NBA Draft after his sophomore season at St. John’s … Acquired by the Indiana Pacers along with Ron Mercer, Brad Miller and Kevin Ollie from the Bulls in exchange for Travis Best, Norman Richardson, Jalen Rose and a conditional second round pick 2/19/02 … Acquired by Sacramento from the Pacers for Peja Stojakovic 1/25/06 … Acquired by Houston along with Patrick Ewing Jr. and Sean Singletary from the Kings in exchange for Bobby Jackson, Donte Greene, the Rockets 2009 first-round draft pick and other considerations … Has averaged 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.98 steals in 681 games (639 starts) with Chicago, Indiana, Sacramento, Houston and L.A. Lakers … Broke Michael Jordan’s record for most steals by a player in their first two NBA seasons (271) … Has finished among the top-five in the NBA in steals per game five times in his career (2nd in 2001-02, 2nd in 2002-03, 3rd in 2003-04, T-2nd in 2006-07 and T-2nd in 2007-08) … Has led his team in steals in nine of his 11 NBA seasons, recording at least 100 thefts in all but one campaign (2004-05) … Scored 20-plus points in 203 career games and tallied 30 or more points 22 times … Has posted 34 career double-doubles … 2010 NBA Champion … Voted the 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year … Chosen All-NBA Third Team once (2004) … Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2004, 2006) and Second Team twice (2003, 2009) … Appeared in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles (2/15/04) as a member of the Pacers, posting seven points (3-5 FG, 0-1 3FG, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists and a steal in 17 minutes … Named to the 1999-2000 Schick All-Rookie Second Team … Earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors on three occasions with the Pacers (Nov. 11-17, 2002; Nov. 3-9, 2003; Mar. 22-28, 2004).

2010-11: Appeared in all 82 games (82 starts), averaging 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.51 steals in 29.4 minutes … Scored 10+ points 34 times and 20+ points once … Led team in points twice, assists seven times, steals 34 times, blocks 10 times and minutes four times … Ranked among league leaders in steals (12th/1.51) … Grabbed a season-high tying nine rebounds 1/9 vs. New York … Tallied 10 points and a season-high seven assists 1/12 at Golden State … Scored 11,000th career point 2/11 at New York … Finished with a season-high 24 points (8-13 FG, 5-6 3FG, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals 2/23 at Portland … Totaled nine points, a season-high tying nine rebounds and three steals 3/10 at Miami … Totaled 18 points, five rebounds and three steals 3/22 vs. Phoenix … Posted nine points, seven rebounds, three steals and a career-high tying four blocks 4/5 vs. Utah … Totaled 14 points and eight rebounds 4/8 at Portland… Posted 5th 4-steal game of the season 4/13 at Sacramento … In nine playoff games, averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.11 steals in 31.9 minutes.

2009-10: Appeared in 77 games (77 starts), averaging 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.38 steals in 33.8 minutes … Recorded one double-double on the year … Scored 10+ points 47 times and 20+ points four times … Led team in points three times, assists 14 times, steals 26 times, blocks four times and minutes 10 times … Ranked among league leaders in steals (20th/1.38) … Totaled 20 points (6-8 FG), six assists and five steals 11/3 at Oklahoma City … Posted 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists 11/6 vs. Memphis … Tallied a season-high tying 22 points, six rebounds and three steals 11/15 vs. Houston … Posted 15 points, five assists and five steals 12/6 vs. Phoenix … Recorded 10,000th career point and 2,000th career assist 12/12 at Utah … Finished with 14 points, five rebounds and season-highs in assists (9) and steals (6) 12/20 at Detroit … Totaled 16 points (5-5 FG) and a season-high 11 rebounds 1/13 at Dallas … Scored 21 points (9-12 FG) 2/6 at Portland … Recorded 17 points and a season-high tying 6 steals 2/28 vs. Denver, before posting back-to-back 5 steal games 3/2 vs. Indiana and 3/4 at Miami, becoming the first Laker to post three consecutive games with five or more steals since Magic Johnson in 1981 … Posted 16 points, eight rebounds and five steals 3/24 at San Antonio … Scored a season-high tying 22 points 4/8 at Denver… Missed five games (12/26-1/3) with a laceration to head and left elbow … In 23 postseason games, averaged 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.52 steals … Scored 20 points (4-7 3FG) 5/8 @ UTAH … Scored game-winning put-back layup at the buzzer 5/27 vs. Phoenix … Posted 25 points (10-16 FG) and three steals 5/29 at Phoenix … Posted 20 points, five rebounds and a playoff career-high five steals in Game 7 of the NBA Finals 6/17 vs. Boston.

2008-09: Earned Second-Team All Defensive honors … In 69 games (55 starts), averaged 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.52 steals in 35.5 minutes … DND for four games (12/8/08; 1/3/09-1/6/09; 1/9/09) and was on the inactive list for nine games (12/12/08-12/13/08; 12/26/08; 1/10/09-1/23/09) with a sore right ankle and moderate to severe bone bruise in the ankle … Set single-season career highs in 3-point field goals made and attempted (.399, 153-383 3FG) … Led team in steals (105) … Recorded 24 20-point performances and one 30-point outing, leading the team in scoring on 20 occasions … Posted three double-doubles … Totaled 17 points and 11 rebounds 11/17 at Oklahoma City … Posted a second consecutive double-double with 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds 11/19 vs. Dallas … Totaled a game-high 27 points (10-17 FG, 4-6 3FG), seven rebounds and season-high tying seven assists 1/31 vs. Golden State … Recorded a season-high 32 points (13-24 FG) 2/28 at Chicago including a career-best 6-of-12 performance from beyond the arc … Totaled a season-high six steals 3/11 vs. L.A. Lakers … Posted 13 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high-tying seven assists 3/24 at Utah … Averaged 15.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.08 steals in 13 postseason games with Houston.

2007-08: Averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 57 games (54 starts) with Sacramento … Recorded 133 total steals, ranking him tied for second in the league in steals per game (2.33) … Was one of only six players in the NBA to average at least 20 points and two or more steals per game … Missed first seven games of the season due to an NBA suspension (10/31/07-11/12/07) … NWT (personal reasons) for one game (11/21/07) … DND (bone chip in right elbow) for two games (12/28/07-12/30/07) … Missed seven games (1/2/08-1/14/08) after surgery on right elbow … DND (sore right foot) for two games (3/5/08-3/7/08) … DND (sore right elbow) for one game (3/22/08) … DND (sprained left thumb) for five games (4/5/08; 4/8/08-4/11/08; 4/14/08-4/15/08) … Recorded 35 outings of 20-plus points and four 30-point performances (33 on 11/20/07 vs. Phoenix, 30 on 2/13/08 at Houston, 32 on 3/2/08 vs. Miami, 30 on 4/1/08 vs. Houston) … Grabbed 10 or more rebounds in five games and dished out at least 10 assists once to finish with six double-doubles on the season … Tallied a season-high 33 points (12-23 FG, 3-5 3FG), 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals 11/20 vs. Phoenix … Handed out a career-best 11 assists with five steals 12/8 at Denver … Matched career-high with four blocks 12/10 vs. Milwaukee … Grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds to go along with 23 points, three steals and two blocks 2/9 at Golden State … Totaled six steals in a game twice (3/13/08 vs. Portland and 3/26/08 vs. Memphis).

2006-07: Averaged 18.8 points, a career-high 6.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.13 steals and 37.7 minutes in 70 games (65 starts) … Finished tied for second in the NBA in steals per game … Missed three games due to a lower back strain (11/24/06-12/5/06), one game with a sore lower back (12/2/06), three contests with sore knees (12/21/06-12/22/06, 12/28/06), and one contest due to personal reasons (2/25/07) … Excused by the team for two games (3/6/07-3/8/07) … Missed another game due to travel complications (3/22/07) and one with a sore left hamstring (4/11/07) … Tallied 20 or more points 31 times and scored 30-plus points on eight occasions … Grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 11 contests … Handed out 10-plus assists once … Recorded 11 double-doubles … Collected four or more steals in 15 contests and tallied at least five thefts eight times … Accumulated a season-high seven steals to go with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists 11/1 at Minnesota … Grabbed a season-best 13 rebounds to go with 22 points 11/3 at Chicago … Scored a career-best 39 points (15-22 FG, 3-5 3FG) 1/2 vs. New York while adding eight rebounds and five steals … Posted a team-high 34 points (11-18 FG, 4-6 3FG) 1/13 vs. Houston … Finished with a game-high 36 points (15-23 FG, 2-4 3FG) 1/24 vs. Milwaukee … Equaled a career-high with 39 points (12-23 FG, 5-7 3FG, 10-11 FT) 2/13 at Houston … Posted game-highs of 32 points (9-17 FG, 4-6 3FG, 10-13 FT) and 11 rebounds 3/16 at Miami … Handed out a season-high 10 assists 4/15 at LA Clippers.

2005-06: Earned First-Team All-Defensive honors, finishing fourth in balloting for Defensive Player of the Year … Posted averages of 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.18 steals and 39.4 minutes in 56 games (16 with Indiana and 40 with Sacramento) … Guided the Kings to a 26-14 record to finish the season and a playoff berth after being acquired from the Pacers on Jan. 26 … Posted averages of 17.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in five playoff games with the Kings.

2004-05: Started seven games with Indiana, averaging 24.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.71 steals before being suspended for the remainder of the season for involvement in an incident at the end of the game at Detroit (11/19/04) … Scored 31 points in the season opener 11/3 at Cleveland … Scored his 5,000th career point 11/12 at Philadelphia.

2003-04: Averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.08 steals in 73 games (71 starts) with Indiana … Voted the 2003-04 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team … Appeared in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game and was chosen All-NBA Third Team … Finished third in the NBA in steals (first among forwards) … One of only four players in the NBA to swipe more than 150 steals … Scored 20-plus points in 37 contests, leading the Pacers to a 32-5 record in those games … Tied a career-high with four blocks 11/28 vs. Philadelphia … Recorded a career-high-tying eight steals 3/24 vs. Dallas … Scored a season-high 35 points 3/26 at Orlando … Averaged 18.4 points, 6.5 boards, 3.2 assists and 1.40 steals in 15 postseason games … Posted 20.3 points per game vs. Boston in the opening round and a team-high 21.3 scoring average in the Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Miami … Notched a playoff-career-high 28 points and a team-high eight rebounds 5/12 vs. Miami … Tallied a game-high 27 points, six rebounds and three blocks 5/18 at Miami … Averaged 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.00 steals in six games vs. Detroit … Recorded double-doubles in Games 4, 5 and 6 of the Pistons series, as well as a playoff career-high 11 rebounds 5/30 at Detroit.

2002-03: Averaged 15.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.30 steals in 69 games (67 starts) with Indiana … Was runner-up to Detroit’s Ben Wallace for NBA Defensive Player of the Year … Finished second in the NBA in steals per game and was named to the All-Defensive Second Team … Ranked in the top-10 in steals-per-turnover ratio (1.10) and was the league leader in steals per 48 minutes played (3.29) … Averaged 19.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.50 steals in six postseason games with Indiana … Scored 20-plus points in four games against Boston … Posted first career playoff double-double with 26 points (7-15 FG, 2-3 3FG, 10-11 FT), 10 rebounds and four blocks in Game Five 4/29 at Boston.

2001-02: Posted averages of 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.36 steals in 28 contests (24 starts) for the Pacers after being traded from the Bulls on Feb. 19 … Registered 24 points, nine assists, nine rebounds and eight steals vs. Miami (3/31/02), nearly becoming the fifth player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double … Averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.78 steals in 27 games (26 starts) for Chicago before the trade … Missed the first 23 contests of the season with a broken right ring finger … Ranked second in the NBA with a career-high 2.56 steals per game and was second in steals-per-turnover ratio (1.19) … Recorded averages of 11.8 points, 6.0 boards, 3.2 assists and 2.60 steals in five playoff games with the Pacers … Totaled 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in his postseason debut 4/20 at New Jersey.

2000-01: Averaged 11.9 points, 3.9 boards, 3.0 assists and 2.00 steals in 76 games (74 starts) with Chicago … Ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game … Overall, registered 271 steals and 103 3-point field goals over his first two seasons with the Bulls, which at the time were the highest totals in the first two seasons by any player ever drafted by Chicago. 1999-00: Made the Schick All-Rookie Second Team … Finished with averages of 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.65 steals in 72 games (63 starts) with the Bulls.

COLLEGE: Averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.20 blocks and 1.90 steals in 69 games over two seasons at St. John’s, leading the Red Storm to a 50-19 record … Earned First-Team All-Big East accolades, was a Wooden Award finalist and was named Third-Team All-American by The Associated Press, Basketball Times and the NABC as a sophomore … Also named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association District II Player of the Year in 1998-99 after leading St. John’s to the NCAA Regional Finals, which was the school’s best showing in the NCAA Tournament since 1991 … Moved into the St. John’s single-season record book in his sophomore year, ranking fourth in 3-pointers made in a season (58), fourth in steals (76) and 10th in blocked shots (44) … Posted the 2nd triple-double in school history with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists vs. Seton Hall … Averaged 11.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.60 steals as a freshman, earning Big East All-Rookie and All-Big East Tournament honors in 1997-98.

PERSONAL

Personal: Born Ronald William Artest Jr. on Nov. 13, 1979, in Queensbridge, NY … Legally changed name to Metta World Peace on Sept. 16, 2011 … Cast member for Season 13 of ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” (2011) … Has a record label called “TruWarier” … Released debut album on Halloween, 2006, titled “My World” … Mathematics major at St. John’s … Named a McDonald’s All-American, as well as the Co-Player of the Year in New York City and the State of New York as a senior at La Salle Academy … Teamed with Elton Brand and Lamar Odom on the same AAU team as a teenager … Launched his A.R.T.E.S.T. (Arithmetic Reaches Tomorrow’s Exemplary Students Today) Math Masters Program at Felix Cook Jr. Elementary School in Oct. 2008 targeting students in 3rd-5th grades; participants in the program utilized his game statistics to help master math fundamentals in preparation for the TAKS test … Hosted the “First Annual BBQ Ball” for the residents of Queensbridge in Aug. 2008, which included a BBQ, basketball and baseball games … Brought a group of 18 kids from Queensbridge to Disney World (Orlando, FL) in Aug. 2008 … Joined a contingent of representatives from the NBA Players Association and the Feed the Children program on a goodwill mission to Africa in July 2007, distributing more than one million meals to impoverished areas in Nairobi as part of the NBPA’s “Feeding One Million” campaign … Reunited with the Feed the Children program for a mission to Central America in Aug. 2007, delivering rations and supplies to deprived areas throughout Honduras … Participated in the Roosevelt Family Empowerment Weekend held in New York City in Aug. 2007, teaching a youth basketball clinic and speaking to kids about the virtues of hard work and community involvement … Launched a new welfare program in Sept. 2007 titled “Xcel University,” which was established with the goal of identifying issues facing high-risk students while collaborating with schools and community centers to encourage and reward students who are leading productive lives … Has become a spokesman in the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) advertising campaign … Has visited “A Place Called Home,” a non-profit organization for homeless families in South Central Los Angeles, speaking to kids about the virtues of education and a life void of violence and drugs … Attended the 2007 Wheelchair Charities, Inc. Basketball Classic in New York City, which raises funding to assist paraplegic, quadriplegic and amputee patients … Co-hosted the 2006 Wheelchair Charities, Inc. game at Madison Square Garden … Sponsors basketball tournaments four times a year held at Queensbridge Projects in New York City, which is an outdoor court in his hometown … Actively involved in mental health awareness initiatives, auctioning off his 2010 NBA Championship ring to raise money for mental health programs and speaking before members of Congress in Washington as an advocate of mental health.