Acting as a mentor for their young roster, Metta World Peace has essentially been a player-coach with the Los Angeles Lakers for the last two season. Peace does more mentoring and coaching than playing at 37 years old and it seems very likely that his career could be coming to an end very soon.

But don't tell Peace that. He wants to keep playing for at least two more years so he will have played professionally for 20 years.

From Mark Medina of the Orange County Register:

He does not plan to formally retire following his 17th NBA season. Counting his time overseas in China and Italy in 2013-14, the 37-year-old has played 18 professional seasons, and he hopes to play at least two more in the NBA or overseas to give himself a 20-year pro career.

“I want to play a long time,” World Peace said. “That’s cool. All I got to do is work hard. I know what I have to do to get there. I set those goals a long time ago and I don’t have to think any more.”

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Playing professional basketball for 20 years is quite tough to do and is an achievement only few players like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant have been able to accomplish. And what makes it tougher for Peace is that he is limited athletically these days with a shot (field goal: 24 percent, 3-point: 19.2 percent) just isn't what it used to be. Plus, it is hard to envision another team signing Peace besides the Lakers, who he openly acknowledges via Medina will likely go in a different direction:

“There’s too many free agents and rookies they have to sign,” World Peace said of the Lakers. “It’s the last thing I would think about this early. The whole league has to get the free agents, the rookies and get the B-class players and C-class players. I never think about it. It’s too early.”

With another NBA contract likely hard to come by, Peace could possibly go play in China or in Italy again to get to 20 professional seasons. Or perhaps he may just have to face the facts and retire.

But either way, Peace has had an epic professional career that includes such highlights as winning the Defensive Player of the Year award and an NBA championship. It's the type of career that despite some low-lights, Peace have every right to be proud of.