Throughout his 17-year NBA career, Metta World Peace averaged
13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals, while becoming an NBA
champion, All-Star, All-NBA selection and Defensive Player of the
Year. Recently, he joined Chris Sheridan on his podcast “The
Sheridan Show.” You can listen to their conversation above or read
the transcription below.
What are your impressions of the NBA Finals? What has
caught your attention about this series? (This was recorded when
the series was tied.)
Metta World Peace: “Besides all the injuries
that have just been plaguing a lot of the great players, what has
caught my eye about this series really is Chris Paul. I don’t
necessarily believe right now, especially that it’s 2-2, that the
Suns are going to win. But going into the series when it was 0-0, I
kind of thought the Suns would win. You know, people and boys
change their picks. I thought the Suns would win. And when they
went up 2-0, you think they would win. Now that it’s tied 2-2, it’s
showing that Giannis [Antetokounmpo] is the greatest player. Now
imagine, Giannis, one of the greatest players in the league,
doesn’t really have to go up against the greatest team, then you
would say Giannis was going to win. Because the Lakers got hurt.
The Lakers were going to beat Phoenix before Anthony Davis got
hurt. So with that being said, Chris Paul stands out, Giannis
stands out. And Chris Paul, it’s a situation where he is a killer;
Chris Paul is an amazing player and got a killer instinct, and he
can very well take advantage of this moment. I know he had a bad
game, but it’s just interesting. It’s hard to really say who is
going to win, I really don’t know, but it’s been a very interesting
playoffs.”
It seems Chris’ right wrist is hurting him, he had a lot
of turnovers in Game 4. But some guys are stepping up. Pat
Connaughton has been very good for the Milwaukee Bucks. Deandre
Ayton has been a beast for Phoenix. Ayton has become the key to the
series as much as Devin Booker.
Metta World Peace: “As much as Chris Paul is a
controller, Chris Paul controls the game like I’ve never seen
before, but I do not think he is as talented as a Booker right now
in his career. And I think Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul are about
equal talent. You’re probably going to lean on Booker and Deandre.
Deandre is young, but he is also an old soul. He is very mature. He
reminds me of Tim Duncan. He is so smart. So, yeah, I think those
guys are the two x-factors.”
You got it done on both ends of the floor. You were the
Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and made the All-Defensive
First Team in 2004 and 2006 and a couple All-Defensive Second Teams
as well. Why are there so few players in the NBA who get it done on
both ends of the floor? Giannis is one of them, he was
All-Defensive First Team, but it’s hard to make a list of
five-to-six guys who are great two-way players.
Metta World Peace: “It’s not easy because
you’ve got to work at it and have to want it. It’s not hard, it’s
not impossible, but you have to be in condition and you have to
work on your game. It’s that extra time. In summertime, you’re
probably working on your offensive game, you’re not working on your
defense. But when training camp comes and you see someone you want
to lock up, then you’re gonna flip that switch. So you’re going to
be a little tired, but can you keep going? And do you mind
sacrificing a couple of points (especially as a wing defender)?
With the exception of Michael Jordan, I don’t know many wing
defenders that were getting their numbers and locking up. Kawhi
could be one of those guys, but Kawhi, if he didn’t play defense,
he would score even more points. So, defense is a sacrifice.”
You teamed up with DraftKings for the NBA Finals, and
it’s kind of cool: You’re actively betting against the public on
every game. Whichever way most of the bets are going, Metta is
going the other way, and DK is boosting the public’s bet. It’s a
promotion known as Metta vs. The World. So, for example: if most
people are taking the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night, he’s taking
the Milwaukee Bucks. How did this deal come along? And how do you
like it?
Metta World Peace: “It’s fun. I’m really
excited. I’ve always wanted to work with big brands and big
corporations, and now I’m getting a chance with DraftKings.
DraftKings wasn’t around when we first came into the NBA, but
DraftKings came around and betting is becoming more of the norm.
It’s fun, and it’s a great campaign: Metta vs. the World. I‘m able
to bet on a legal platform, I don’t bet illegally, and DraftKings
is providing that platform to have a great time against the fans.
This has been one of my best experiences.”
There’s a lot of gambling that happens on NBA team
flights. The game of choice has always been bourré or poker. What
is the biggest loss you’ve ever seen on an airplane or in an NBA
team hotel?
Metta World Peace: “The biggest loss I’ve seen
is someone exchanged wallets or put their jewelry or chain on the
table or maybe even their car keys. It depends how much cash you
have in your pocket.”
That tends to hit rookies the hardest,
right?
Metta World Peace: “It depends what type of
rookie you are, but I would not advise the rookies to play with the
big boys. Wait until you get that big-boy contract. I would not
advise a rookie to play with that little contract [especially
given] that inflated money that these guys are getting in the
league now.”
On the subject of international basketball, you played a
season overseas and played under FIBA rules. We’re about to start
the Olympics with Team USA undergoing some changes. Bradley Beal is
off the team. Kevin Love is off the team. Keldon Johnson and JaVale
McGee joined the team. How do you see the Olympics playing out for
Team USA?
Metta World Peace: “For me, the Olympics is a
bitter situation for me. I love the Olympics, and I feel like I’ve
been shortchanged. Even though I was a head case and a real
volatile player when I did play, I just always felt like I should
have had an opportunity to play [for Team USA]. The year I was
going to play, I got suspended - and when you talk about legacy,
that gold medal is very important to legacy. And I was a player,
third-team All-NBA. I should have had a tryout. I remember when I
didn’t get called for the Olympics, and I thought at least I’d play
on the team that played against the people who got selected (the
Select Team). And when that didn’t happen, I called my agent and
said, ‘What the hell is going on here?!’ And we could not get no
response. So then, I had to call the Olympic office myself. And I
got no return call. And I was like, ‘Just let me try out.’ I
understand I wasn’t the greatest player to be around at that time
and some players did not want to play with me, but I was like,
‘Give me a chance to take that player’s spot.' At that time, in
that era, my defense was so incredible, I was going to take
someone’s spot. I’m 100 percent sure.”
That would have been the 2004 Olympics in Athens when
the U.S. lost to Puerto Rico by 19 in the opener and ended up
taking home the bronze.
Metta World Peace: “Yeah, you see what I’m
saying? We [wouldn’t have] taken home a bronze. We’d have a gold. I
wasn’t on that team. The USA had a goal in 2004 and there’s no way
we lose with me on that team. There’s no way. How? I’m averaging 24
and the best defender in the world at that point in time. I got
Defensive Player of the Year in between sharks and blue whales, Ben
Wallace and Duncan and Garnett. This is who I had to navigate
through in order to get that award. Hall of Famers. With that being
said, I understand why. But I just want people to hear: If I could
rewind time, that is something that is supposed to be on my resume.
Now, granted, a lot of things are not on my resume because of me,
but I got Defensive Player of the Year, I was close to being MVP
one year, I got champion, All-Star, everything but the Olympics.
But I’ve been to the Olympics in high school. I got the USA high
school history. One day, I hope they pick me. Sometimes they pick
veterans, they pick guys who don’t play [anymore]. I hope I can
play in the Olympics; I deserve it just as much as anybody, I
believe. Some people would argue that other people deserve it also.
That’s true, but I am the one yapping about it. So hopefully one
day an honorary jersey, end of the bench. I even told them I would
get the water. I literally called the office. I told my agent, ‘Can
I even be the water boy? Something?’ So every time someone brings
up the Olympians, I rant, I rant I rant. I am an Olympian, for
sure. I am an Olympian, a gold medalist, and I truly believe
that.
“When you look at it from a basketball standpoint, in terms of
being that professional at that age, I wasn’t. But I was a hell of
a basketball player, and I felt like a hell of an American
basketball player, one of the best American basketball players in
the world. And although I’m very much from Queensbridge and as
urban as it gets in the NBA, at the same time I always wanted to
represent the USA. And another reason why I wanted to represent the
USA: Chris Mullin was an Olympian, I went to St. John’s. Vern
Fleming was a gold medalist Olympian, and Vern Fleming is from my
neighborhood and everybody knows where I’m from. Vern Fleming
experienced all the things I talked about, just picture those
situation with Vern Fleming, and he was an Olympian. He’s from the
same block, the same exact block as me. There’s a lot of reasons
why I wanted to be an Olympian. No matter what anybody says, I am
an Olympian, I am a gold medalist. I didn’t cut myself from that
team.”
You mentioned before we started recording that you want
to get into coaching. Where does that aspiration come from, and
what can you do to make that happen?
Metta World Peace: “Coaching is something I’m
excited about. One person gave good advice to me: Don’t say you
want to be a head coach because nobody is going to hire you. But at
least you can see me coming. I want to be a head coach. The reason
is because it’s fun. Not because of anything else. I just think
it’s fun. If I never become a head coach, that’s fine. I won’t be
crying over it. But if I do, I’ll for sure be cheering over it. I
definitely want to be a head coach, one of the main reasons is
because I have kind of a unique view on kind of being a go-to-guy
and being a role player. I think Jason Kidd might have that
viewpoint also. He was a role player once, and he was a go-to
player. And he was a point guard, so he was always controlling the
game. Anybody who ever had that experience of seeing both sides of
the game, that’s something I really enjoy. I have played under a
lot of good coaches back home… some amazing coaches even before I
got to the NBA. And then playing for coach Fran Fraschilla -
everyone knows how great of a coach he is - all the way to Tim
Floyd to Rick Adelman to Phil Jackson. When you take all that into
consideration, it’s fun to know that you have all that knowledge,
and potentially being able to give it back in the form of youth.
And me, I’m coaching now. I got about 10 teams that I am coaching
right now. Even though it’s not NBA, it’s fun. It’s pretty
much run-and-gun and dive on the floor. It’s that simple. I enjoy
it, and if I’m ever able to do that in the NBA, I want to push the
pace a little bit.”
Run-and-gun and hit the floor, that’s the way you
played. Who is the best teammate you ever had?
Metta World Peace: “All my teammates. When
you’re in a locker room, especially when there is that much
pressure of winning, and the pressure of being away from your
family, those types of things, [it’s tough]. If you read all the
stories that came out in the media over the years, that’s something
we go through together in the locker room, at dinner, over phone
calls. Like all the players, it’s not as easy as one may think.
Even though the money’s great, I’m saying as a human, it is not as
easy as you think. I am really grateful to all my players, but the
ones that kind of stand out: Shane Battier stands out, Yao Ming
stands out, Derek Fisher stands out, Reggie Miller stands out.
Stephen Jackson, Kobe. A couple of people stand out. And then I
played with some great vets: Will Perdue, Dickey Simpkins, Randy
Brown, Greg Anthony, Dale Davis. I’m very grateful, very
grateful.”