Metta World Peace's team in the Chinese Basketball Association would have not materialized if not for some misunderstanding inside the locker room of the New York Knicks, his last team in the NBA. There's no sight of Metta, his elbow, technical fouls, and all in the world's biggest basketball league because he is currently playing for Sichuan Blue Whales. Before he played there, he even changed his name into the Panda's Friend.
However, for Metta World Peace, he thinks that he could still be playing for the Knicks, who is now coached by former teammate Derek Fisher. If a fight between him and another ill-tempered teammate did not occur, the Metta World Peace team up with CBA would have not happened. Speaking to the press for the promotion of 'The Untold Story of the Malice at the Palace,' Metta World said that he was 'too direct' to his younger teammates, leading to a conflict with JR Smith, the other Knick who is often on the headlines for his on- and off-court antics.
"I don't understand why they didn't [sign] me,'' World Peace said according to the New York Post. "But then again, I'm very direct. I think I was too direct in the locker room, too direct to J.R. Smith. It wasn't from a bad place. I'm older, been on great teams in Sacramento and L.A."
Metta World Peace continued that he was just saying what he sees is wrong to the team. Last year was a really bad season for the New York Knicks as they failed to qualify for the playoffs.
"If someone is not playing defense or not giving effort, that's my specialty. I don't hold back on my words. Nobody wants to talk direct to them. We don't give it to them straight.
"I said some things directly to J.R. Smith in the locker room and he challenged me back, said some direct things to me. But he understood where we came from."
