Ron Artest changing name to ... "Metta World Peace"?

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest wants to change his name to Metta World Peace.

Artest's attorney filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday seeking the change. The 31-year-old NBA star was born Ronald William Artest Jr.

In the court documents, Artest cites personal reasons for wanting to make the change.

An Aug. 26 court date was set to consider the petition.

The petition filing was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.

Artest's career has been filled with ups and downs. He helped the Lakers win the NBA championship a year ago and in April he received an award for outstanding service and dedication to the community.

He has testified before Congress to support mental health legislation.

Artest may be best known for triggering the most notorious brawl in NBA history when he jumped into the stands and attacked a fan while playing for the Indiana Pacers in November 2004. He was suspended for the rest of that season.

Artest wouldn't be the first NBA player to make a change to an unusual name.

Lloyd Bernard Free, who played in the league from 1975 to 1988, had his first name legally changed to World in 1981. A friend had given him the nickname because of his 44-inch vertical leaps and 360-degree dunks.

In the NFL, Cincinnati Bengals star Chad Johnson legally changed his last name to Ochocinco in August 2008. The name means "eight five" in Spanish.

"It brought a smile to my face," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said of Artest's planned name change. "It's been done before. ... So, other than that, I don't really have a comment."

The GM was then asked if he had a preference as to whether the back of Artest's jersey says "Peace" or "World Peace" next season.

"I'm an advocate of World Peace," Kupchak quipped..

source

Seriously???

It's tempting to write it off as just more attention-seeking behaviour but hey, maybe he has good intentions. Still, couldn't he just...you know...support charities, promote awareness, set a positive example, that kind of thing?

ugh, his yearly offseason changes (jersey numbers, hairstyles) are getting old and corny for me

couldn't he just...you know...support charities, promote awareness, set a positive example, that kind of thing?

And now here are the starting lineups:

Kobe Bryant & Steve Blake in the backcourt,

Pau Gasol & Metta World Pace down low & Andrew Bynum in the middle

Just stick to Ron.

I can understand the hair change, number change, team change but not name changing. Even Rodman didn't do it.

Metta World Place, drives, but Chris Douglas-Roberts steals it! That would be horrible.

I never thought there would be a name change dumber than Ochocinco. Ron Artest proves me wrong.

I think that artest tries his best to become more eccentric than Rodman, though he still has looooong way to reach him....

if he indeed wanted to do the good, think he could still do charities and etc. as Andrew said...

So he's now going to be called Metta -Metta instead of Ron-Ron?

WTF. Worst name eveeeeeeer. I would still prefer Ron Artest.

Metta World Peace is easier to say than Chukwudiebere Maduabum

I think with his reputation, the Peacemaker would be a more appropriate name for him.

Metta World Peace is easier to say than Chukwudiebere Maduabum

hahaha. His nickname should be Chuck.

Metta World Peace is easier to say than Chukwudiebere Maduabum

hahaha. His nickname should be Chuck.

It's Chu-Chu!

Haha, I came across this on NBA.com.

http://allball.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/24 ... ef:nbahpt1

Total list of all considered names, some pretty hilarious ones.

I can understand the hair change, number change, team change but not name changing. Even Rodman didn't do it.

To be fair, he once expressed a desire to change his name to "Orgasm" or alternatively, "Thermonuclear Ejaculation".

Metta World Of Warcraft

I can understand the hair change, number change, team change but not name changing. Even Rodman didn't do it.

To be fair, he once expressed a desire to change his name to "Orgasm" or alternatively, "Thermonuclear Ejaculation".

Also some of those names in the blog were really funny

He's no World B. Free, that's for sure.

Metta World Half Off Roscoe’s House Of Chicken And Waffles Ah, that's hillarious.

Why the hating? Just imagine how fun it would be when you're watching a game.
"World Peace with the flagrant foul."
"World Peace just got ejected!"

Why the hating? Just imagine how fun it would be when you're watching a game.
"World Peace with the flagrant foul."
"World Peace just got ejected!"

that's ridiculous..

"world peace just cant manage to get accepted by these American fans. Maybe he should ask for a trade to Toronto"

Im with shadow here, this is fucking great.

Or a News-title: "World Peace fights the fans" or smt like that.

This is one of the more epic news in the NBA, we talk about this more than the Lockout.

Pretty soon no team in the NBA will want aging World Peace. Then the war breaks out.

This is one of the more epic news in the NBA, we talk about this more than the Lockout.

It's easier to put a positive spin or find some entertainment in this.

But like, in the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what the guys name is, does it?

Still, its fun as hell.