LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 09: (L-R) Metta World Peace and Maya Ford attend the Mercedes-Benz Academy Awards Viewing Party at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on February 09, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz)Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

Metta World Peace Reveals He's Changed His Name to Metta Ford-Artest

Tim DanielsMay 5, 2020

Ron Artest, who changed his name to Metta World Peace in 2011 and has also been known by the moniker Panda Friend, said he's now going by Metta Ford-Artest.

The 40-year-old former NBA star provided the latest update Sunday during an appearance on Inside the Green Room with Danny Green (via Christian Rivas of Silver Screen & Roll):

"The first game that I had with 'World Peace,' I was like, 'This is the dumbest thing ever. I was coming off of the bench at that time, in 2011, and they say, 'Metta World Peace!' And I remember not wanting to take off my warm up. It was embarrassing. So I did think about changing my name back, but then I got used, people got used [to] it.

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"But right now, it's funny because I got married, and my name now is 'Metta [inaudible] Ford-Artest.' I actually took my wife's last and added it to mine."

Artest is married to Maya Ford, who now lists her name on Instagram as Maya Ford Artest.

The 40-year-old New York City native played 17 seasons in the NBA. He earned an All-Star selection with the Indiana Pacers in 2004 and won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010.

He currently works in the Lakers organization as a player development coach with the South Bay Lakers, the team's G League affiliate.