Metta World Peace's greatest hits from his time tweeting as a New York Knick
Metta World Peace's time in New York was short, but memorable. (Getty Images/AP)
Surely by now you've heard the news: Metta World Peace has been released and he's no longer a Knick. Hopefully you've been able to gather your emotions, put yourself back together and live your life today. I know it's hard.
MWP signing with the Knicks -- after being amnestied by the Lakers -- was one of those moves that seemed like a not-so-bad idea for New York in terms of overall value, but a sure-fire winner for fans in terms of sheer entertainment value. Ron Artest World Peace back in the Big Apple was going to be great on and off the court. He's always interesting, he makes writing stories easy, he plays defense and he was another piece added to a Knicks team that won 54 games last year. CHAMPIONSHIP!
Obviously things didn't go according to plan, for Metta or for any of the Knicks this year. He had career lows in minutes (as well as points, rebounds, assists and steals) and started just one game. He had knee issues. He had a bunch of DNP-CDs. Simply put, it didn't work, and New York didn't seem interested in trying to make it work with all of the other problems on the roster.
In an official statement, World Peace said:
"It was a childhood dream of mine to play basketball professionally in New York City, and it has truly been a blessing for that dream to have come true. However, under current circumstances, my agent and I have agreed that being bought out would be the best option for me professionally. I would like everyone to know that whether I was on the court or off, I could not have been happier playing for and cheering on this amazing city, my city."
Lots of players say stuff like that but for Metta, it's real. He's not afraid of being honest. He never has been. Just look at his interviews throughout his career -- and of course, how he uses Twitter. To remember Metta's time with the Knicks, here are some of his greatest tweets out of his (brief) stint with the Knicks, from the day it was reported he was signed (July 15, 2013) to the day he was released (Feb. 24, 2014).
In only a way he could, this was pretty much how Metta announced he was going to the Knicks. But he wasn't sure. And then he was. And he used emoticons. He then listed a bunch of things he'd miss about Los Angeles and the Lakers. You can only reflect so long before you have to turn the page, though.
Needless to say he was excited to be in New York.
The next few days were a bunch of book signings, him repping some products and #brands he really likes, and of course getting hyped for his appearance on the Hallmark Channel.
Soon it was back to the "WHOA I AM A KNICK IS THIS REAL" stage.
#sandball
Metta wanted to get another nickname. He also let everyone know he wasn't changing his name again.
Good advice. The rest of the summer between the east and west coast seemed like fun.
Metta got interested in sharks after watching a show about them on the Cooking Channel.
He also had some thoughts about Kendrick's "Control" verse.
Then Aug. 15 happened. "This is a real story. Ask Jimmy Kimmel." Some people were suspicious; others were more open minded.
Back to stream of consciousness for MWP for awhile, well, that and enjoying the Lion King.
Metta also has a habit of saying he's going to stop tweeting and not following through. And telling stories then making sure to let everyone know it's a true story even if it isn't (maybe). And selfies.
He tried to get into tennis.
And he likes Paul Rudd.
Practice started in October. Preseason featured an almost scuffle with Tyler Hansbrough, after which MWP defended the former Tar Heel.
He took the train to Madison Square Garden.
Then slowed down on Twitter a bit because of the season, popping up with a few gems here and there.
On Jan. 3 after a loss at Houston, the Knicks were 10-21. They then went on a five-game winning streak, spurring hope for a turnaround. (Spoiler alert: It didn't happen.) Metta got worked up a bit over bandwagon fans and such, but he was mostly happy.
There were bits of poetry and Cookie Monster pajamas.
The Knicks were 20-30 on Feb. 7, and World Peace wasn't playing. There were some trade rumors, which he addressed in his own way. But with the trade deadline coming and MWP out of the rotation, his future with the Knicks was still in doubt.
On Feb. 21 (coincidentally the day after the trade deadline), Metta's Twitter account got playful again, more than it had been in a few weeks.
MWP joked about firing his agent and signing with CAA. And obviously caught wind he was probably being released. He took it well.
Hopefully someone picks Metta World Peace up. The last thing he needs is more free time. Although if it leads to poetry, random musings, (true) stories and more pictures, it won't be all that bad.
