Once upon a time, Metta World Peace went by Ron Artest. The same Ron Artest who went into the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills and brawled with a few Pistons fans, and the same guy who threw an elbow to the head of James Harden in the Western Conference playoffs in 2012. Flash forward to the present, and World Peace is preparing to play his first season with the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association. In light of Ci Siping’s--the literal translation of World Peace and how he’s often referred to in China--move to the Far East, he’s decided to change his moniker to reflect his new surroundings and culture. World Peace took to Twitter to announce that he was changing his name, and according to China Daily, you’ll soon be referring to Metta as Panda Friend. This would be his fourth name for those keeping count at home, as long as you include Ci Siping in the equation.
*Update: Metta World Peace has since clarified that his Chinese name will be "The Pandas Friend," not the aforementioned "Panda Friend."
[via For The Win]
