One of the most controversial moments in recent NBA history came with the “Malice in the Palace” in 2004. This game between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons game saw Metta World Peace and a handful of other players suspended for going into the crowd and getting into a fight with fans. At the time, it was the late former NBA commissioner David Stern who handled the punishments, and according to Metta World Peace, Stern handled it well.

Speaking to Mark Medina of USA Today Sports, World Peace, who was known at the time as Ron Artest, says that he believes Stern handled the punishments well for himself and his Pacers teammates. “He handled it great. I just think he did the right thing,” World Peace said. “He was about handling it the right way.”

In 2004, World Peace was a member of the Pacers, and he stormed into a crowd of Pistons fans at The Palace of Auburn Hills. World Peace then threw punches at a fan, who had been seen throwing a drink down at the Pacers' bench during the game. After the game, World Peace was handed an 86-game suspension by Stern, which was the longest non-drug related suspension in NBA history.

With Stern having recently passed away, World Peace was likely asked about the issue again to see how he felt about it all these years later. Thankfully for him, World Peace seems to have learned from the moment, and doesn’t seem to hold any grudges with Stern or the league. Despite being suspended for 86 games, World Peace went on to have a very good NBA career, culminating in winning an NBA Championship in 2010 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Following the end of his playing career, he became an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness.