Metta World Peace and the city of Detroit clearly don’t mix well
Jul 14, 2018, 2:32 PM
Metta World Peace and the city of Detroit just don’t seem to go well together.
Who could forget the Malice at the Palace? When World Peace — then-named Ron Artest and a member of the Indiana Pacers — was involved in a massive brawl against the Detroit Pistons that even spilled into the crowd.
Sure, Friday’s incident with World Peace didn’t involve fighting and wasn’t at the Palace of Auburn Hills, but it was still bizarre in it’s own comical way.
At Little Caesars Arena for a Big3 basketball game, World Peace and his team — Killer 3s — were taking on Trilogy when things turned sour.
Metta being Metta pic.twitter.com/xFos0gilmi
— FS1 (@FS1) July 13, 2018
Just minutes into the contest, the Killer 3s’ Alan Anderson was fouled hard by Trilogy’s Rashad McCants, but there was no foul call.
Clearly upset, Anderson gets up to argue the no-call with the ref. That’s when World Peace steps in, poking the ball loose before picking it up.
But instead of shooting or even throwing the ball in protest, World Peace decides to punt the ball.
Yes, punt.
The antic received quite the reaction from the crowd as he was ejected from the game to the displeasure of his head coach Charles Oakley and Big3 founder, Ice Cube.
World Peace was ejected from the game and before heading to the locker room, decided to take a few pics with adoring fans.
For those not present in Detroit for the World Peace show, they reacted on Twitter accordingly.
That’s the most Ron Artest thing Metta World Peace could do
— Larry Bird’s Stache (@larrysstache) July 13, 2018
Ron Artest ejected for doing something unsavory in Detroit? What a bizarre event that has never happened before. https://t.co/ezoY8dS6KO
— Jay Sarkar (@WLNSJaySarkar) July 13, 2018
KEEP HIM OUT OF THE STANDS https://t.co/TaNkdAB5Bc
— Duncan Smith (@DuncanSmithNBA) July 13, 2018
Never change Ron
— Bulls 82-0 (@ChiSportsMania) July 13, 2018
🔥🔥 #Killer3s Chauncey Billups on Metta World Peace ejection in #Big3 in Detroit on Friday: "Ron just stole the basketball from the referee – and kicked it. I told him in the locker room: if you were going to kick it, you should have put it in the top row – it was a weak kick."
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 13, 2018