China-bound Metta World Peace wants to change name to Panda Friend
Mario Anzuoni / Reuters
Metta World Peace, the artist formerly known as Artest, apparently has designs on a yet another new name for himself, now that he'll be playing in China.
After signing a one-year deal with the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association a week ago, World Peace - currently known in China as Ci Shiping, a literal translation of Metta World Peace - plans to rename himself after the country's giant panda, a precious animal based in the southwest Sichuan province.
World Peace tweeted that he'd be going to see the pandas with his daughter "first thing" after getting to China.
He later tweeted this:
New Chinese name coming soon. You guys are going to love it!!!!
— mettaworldpeace.com (@MettaWorldPeace) August 5, 2014
And love it we will.
[H/T SLAM]