Former Lakers Forward Metta Sandiford-Artest Reveals Who Is Modern Day Pau Gasol

Former Los Angeles Lakers small forward Metta Sandiford-Artest, known alternately as Ron Artest and Metta World Peace during his extensive NBA career, recently pinpointed which modern player best resembles the game of Hall of Fame former Lakers power forward/center Pau Gasol. Sandiford-Artest won his only NBA title, in 2010, next to Gasol and another L.A. Hall of Famer, shooting guard Kobe Bryant.

All told, Artest played with Gasol from 2009-13 in Los Angeles.

During a new conversation with longtime NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson on his podcast Scoop B Radio, Artest praised the game of Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün as most resembling a prime-era Gasol.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun is the modern day Pau Gasol says @MettaWorld37 to Scoop B Radio.

"The kid from the Rockets, I like him."

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— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) January 31, 2025

“I like the kid from Houston, Alperen Şengün,” Sandiford-Artest relayed to Robinson. “The big center! I like him.”

Şengün was named to his first All-Star team this season, as the best player on the 32-15 Rockets, currently the No. 2 overall seed in the Western Conference.

“I like the way he plays and I like the way he carries himself," the 6-foot-7 forward said of the Rockets big. "His court vision is crazy and so he’s one of my favorite guys to watch.”

Through 46 games this year, the 6-foot-11 Şengün is averaging 19.1 points on 49.1 percent shooting from the field and 70.8 percent shooting from the foul line, 10.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

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Speaking of Houston, Sandiford-Artest surprisingly also revealed that he believes the Rockets iteration of himself was his preferred incarnation.

Artest was an All-Star, the Defensive Player of the Year, an All-NBA Third Teamer, and was named to two of his four All-Defensive Teams during his tenure with the Indiana Pacers from 2002-06. He also won his lone NBA championship as a starter on the Los Angeles Lakers, where he wound up spending six seasons.

“I think ‘08-’09 specifically in that playoffs where the Houston Rockets were playing the Lakers,” Sandiford-Artest said.

After besting the Portland Trail Blazers in a six-game first round series, Houston pushed the eventual champion Lakers to seven contests. The Lakers blew out Houston in that final bout, 89-70.

“They don’t really show those highlights because they’re just gonna show how good I really was… but it showed how — it really showed how people just couldn’t guard me. They had NO chance!” Sandiford-Artest said.

Sandiford-Artest still remember Los Angeles pretty fondly.

“Well, the Lakers version was good,” he conceded.

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“But, it was gratefully and rightfully so overshadowed by some better players in Pau and Kobe," Sandiford-Artest said. "So I had to take on a different role, but on the Lakers I was really REALLY good… but I had to take on a different role.”

Across 991 career games (840 starts) in a 17-year NBA career, Sandiford-Artest holds averages fo 13.2 points on .414/.339/.715 shooting splits, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.5 blocks a night.

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