Former Los Angeles Lakers small forward Metta World Peace is one of the strongest and toughest players in NBA history.
But how did World Peace become the enforcer that he was during his NBA career? During Episode 1 of ClutchPoints' The Final Ring docuseries, the Lakers champion said his mindset on the court was forged as a kid growing up in Queensbridge, New York.
Luckily for the Lakers, the way World Peace played helped the franchise win banner No. 16 in 2010 over the Boston Celtics in seven games.
“I've always been an enforcer, from back in my Queensbridge days. When you play with the men in Queensbridge – when they allow you to get on the court- you got to bring it,” Metta World Peace said.
“When you're playing in some of the circumstances I played in…One time I was 11 years old, we're in Hammels project. 11 years old – we're going to work, we're playing hard, that's all we know.”
World Peace was part of arguably the biggest fight in NBA history when he was playing for the Indiana Pacers. After he fouled Pistons big man Ben Wallace, Big Ben got upset at World Peace, pushed him and all hell broke loose.
World Peace, who had two different stints with the Lakers, averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 steals in the 2010 Finals. He shot 36.1 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Whenever someone mentions World Peace, fans usually think about him jumping into the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills and fighting with Pistons fans. However, Lakers supporters will always appreciate what he did for the organization in 2010. His positive contributions to the game of basketball outweigh that one awful night in Detroit.
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