World Peace has finally arrived in the NBA.
At first glance it may not seem as if the artist formerly known as Ron Artest has his new name listed alphabetically on the Lakers official team roster, but he does. Peace is not his last name, WORLD PEACE is. That’s why the Lakers don’t have him slotted after Lamar Odom, nor is he any longer at the top above Matt Barnes. He’s right at the bottom, after the WA included in Luke Walton’s surname.
The screen grab below is from the Lakers website, which was just updated Tuesday to recognize Ron’s Metta’s new name.
LAKERS: Lakers Roster via kwout
Which is exactly as his name will read on the back of the jersey too in case you were wondering. World Peace, number 15. Maybe not Ron’s born name, but one he absolutely deserves.
Which is why Lakers spokesman John Black said as much on Thursday, according to The Wall Street Journal:
Ron Artest has been an NBA All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year and, most recently, a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. But since mid-September, he hasn’t been Ron Artest—officially changing his name to Metta World Peace. But you’d never have known about the name change prior to this week on NBA.com or the Lakers website. But Tuesday, the Lakers quietly replaced Artest’s old name with his new one and the NBA made the change as well. His jersey this season will also bear the 6-foot-7 forward’s new name. “It will read ‘World Peace,'” Lakers spokesman John Black said.
I can’t wait to hear those sideline microphones picking up Mike Brown and the rest of the Lakers calling him Metta and/or World Peace during games too. This should be fun.
