St. John's University Athletics
Former St. John's Standout Metta World Peace To Join New York Knicks
7/16/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
July 16, 2013
QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's University basketball star formerly known as Ron Artest, now referred to as 2010 NBA champion Metta World Peace, announced Monday on the MSG Network that he will return to his hometown of New York City and officially signed Tuesday to play with the New York Knicks on the familiar stage of Madison Square Garden.
World Peace, the 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a NBA All-Star in 2004, made the televised announcement during a Knicks' preseason game in Las Vegas. Last week, the 6-foot-7 forward was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers under the amnesty clause. World Peace had spent the last four seasons in Los Angeles after stints with the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls, who selected him after two seasons at St. John's as the 16th pick of the 1999 NBA Draft.
World Peace attended St. John's from 1997-99 and is a native of the Queensbridge community of Long Island City, Queens, and attended La Salle Academy in Manhattan.
"Obviously I stayed at St. John's because it's tough to play in New York," said World Peace on Monday. "When you win in New York, that's the hardest thing to do. The easiest thing to do is go somewhere else, maybe get a few extra bucks and it's O.K. The media is tough and I need something that's tough right now, and I want to win where it's the hardest to win, and that's home."
In 14 NBA seasons, World Peace has average 14.1 points and 4.7 rebounds, twice being selected to the NBA's All-Defensive first team and twice to the All-Defensive second team.
As a freshman at St. John's, World Peace averaged 11.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and led the Red Storm in steals and blocks on his way to being selected to the All-BIG EAST Rookie Team. As a sophomore in 1998-99, the first team All-BIG EAST selection averaged 14.5 points and 6.3 boards in keying St. John's to the NCAA Elite Eight. World Peace averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals in his two-year St. John's career. He connected on 44.5 percent of his field goals (335-of-753) and 35.5 percent of his 3-pointers (92-of-259). Following his sophomore campaign, World Peace entered the NBA Draft and was selected in the first round by the Bulls.
"People know that when I'm ready to play ball, that's what it's all about," said World Peace. "The level of focus that's going to take place at The Garden, that's what I'm going to bring... Not time for anything outside."
While the Knicks have made no official announcement regarding the signing of World Peace, his agent, Marc Cornstein, said his client is interested in joining only one team.
"Yes, this is going to happen," Cornstein said. "He's really excited to be joining his hometown team. That's obviously been something that's been a dream of his since growing up in Queensbridge. He's just thrilled to be joining the New York Knicks."
Larry Johnson, a two-time NBA All-Star with the Charlotte Hornets who played for the Knicks from 1996-01 and now assists the organization with player development and marketing relations, says World Peace is making the right choice in joining his hometown team.
"(Winning in New York) is super difficult," said Johnson. "He knows from playing at St. John's. If he keeps doing what he's been doing, New York will embrace him and love him."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
