As unique as his playing career and life as a whole have been, Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly Ron Artest and Metta World Peace) has made headlines recently for his attempt to get back into the NBA.
But not as a player, but rather an executive, or coach, as the two-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers recently claimed. Speaking with TMZ Sports about his hopes to replace Nico Harrison as general manager of the Dallas Mavericks, Artest also claimed he nearly became the head coach of the New York Knicks.
Artest had previously thrown his hat in the ring, and though, after a long search, Mike Brown landed the job, the former player claimed the position was almost his.
“I love New York, I tried to get the New York head coaching job,” Artest said. “It almost happened. But you know, some people were scared, some people were hating, actually. I love New York, but I’m totally ready for these opportunities.”
Artest played just 29 games for the Knicks during the 2013-14 NBA season, but made a strong push for the open position over the summer before Brown was hired.
Artest’s Push At The Knicks Head Coach Position
The firing of Tom Thibodeau was a monumental for the Knicks, as he was let go from the team after leading the group to their first conference finals appearance in 25 years. While it was stars Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and others doing the work on the court, New York chose to part ways with the long-time NBA coach.
Over the offseason, the open position created numerous rumors as to who would fill the seat, and Artest brought it on himself to throw his hat in the ring.
“Metta is the perfect choice for head coach of the @nyknicks. Since 1999 this was suppose to happen. I’ve never ran from the city.,” he wrote on himself in a post on X. “I wanted to be drafted by the Knicks, I seemed to be the only one un-afraid of the city. I’m built to challenge the city. I’m the number one guy for the job. And I have 360degree experience.”
That post was followed by multiple others in the coming days discussing his case as to why he deserved to lead the team. However, just over a month later, the Knicks announced Brown would become the team’s next playcaller.
Though it was his biggest push at the job, it wasn’t the first time Artest made a campaign to coach in New York. The forward had previously stated his case for the same position in 2019 when the team fired David Fizdale, but he didn’t end up winning the role.
While it is hard to confirm Artest’s claims as to how close he was to actually becoming the head coach of the New York Knicks, his efforts have not gone unnoticed.
First Season With Coach Mike Brown
In the wake of Artest’s failed campaign, Brown has taken the role of Knicks’ coach in stride. Originally, the two-time Coach of the Year had major questions surrounding how he would differ from Thibodeau and the changes he would make to get this current team over the hump.
So far, Brown has answered that criticism by leading New York to an 8-4 record, sitting second in the East. Though only 12 games into the season, the Knicks rank fourth in the NBA in scoring, fourth in net rating, and third in offensive rating.
While defense was the primary focus of the Thibodeau-led teams, Brown has seemingly gotten more production out of the team’s other stars, as taking the ball out of Brunson’s hands has resulted in a more efficient and impactful offense than in years prior.
But at the same time, the team has put up strong numbers with their new style under Brown, New York is currently dealing with some injury concerns that could cause serious problems down the road.
Towns started off the season with a lingering injury, and though facing some criticism, the center has bounced back, now third in the NBA in rebounds, while scoring 21.8 points and yet to miss a game this year.
Brunson recently suffered an ankle sprain, and though not considered too serious, he could miss the team’s upcoming five-game road trip. As the heart of the offense, his absence will test Brown’s ability to find wins without his star.
The Anunoby injury is a bit more serious, as he is expected to miss at least two weeks with a calf strain. However, besides those two, the Knicks have had solid contributions from others like Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Landry Shamet.
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