Metta World Peace Explains Why He Rejected LeBron James Offer To Join Cleveland Cavaliers In 2009

Metta World Peace, commonly known as Ron Artest, was one of the best forwards in the league during his prime.

Although controversies somehow shadowed his talent inside the court during his Indiana days, MWP was still killing it on both ends of the floor having won the defensive player of the year in 2004.

The 6'7 forward had multiple seasons with an average of at least 15 points.

His best season statistically was during the 2007-2008 season with the Sacramento Kings. In that year, he averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals on 45/38/72 shooting splits.


Artest then became free agent in 2009 and signed a five-year, $33 million contract with the defending NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers. That season, the Lakers defended their throne successfully and Artest won his first and only NBA championship.

During one episode of Club Shay Shay hosted by Shannon Sharpe, the now known Metta Sandiford-Artest revealed that he was close to joining LeBron James in Cleveland back in 2009.

Artest declined James' offer to join him in Cleveland because he wants competition and he wasn't interested in teaming up with the best players in the league.

«LeBron James hit me up one time when he was with the Cavs,» he said


«I remember I was excited because LeBron hit me up. I'm a big fan. Even though he's younger, I was a big fan. But before that, I didn't want to play with Kobe, I didn't want to play with LeBron., I didn't want to play with T-Mac [Tracy McGrady]. I wanted to play against these guys.

«So when LeBron hit me up to come play for the team, I was like, ‘Um, I can't come play,'» he went on. «You know, because many reasons. But I said, ‘I can't come.' Then I was trying to go to Detroit or Indiana. That's where I wanted to go. That's just in me. But when no teams wanted me, after that, I didn't call back LeBron. So then the [Los Angeles] Lakers called, I said, ‘I gotta just go because I don't know if I'm going to get a contract.' But, it's not in me to play with anyone.»

Artest added that he was trying to join Detroit Pistons or go back to Indiana that summer but the two teams didn't call to sign him. Artest then decided to join the reigning NBA champions helping them win the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Artest could've helped James in Cleveland if he accepted the latter's offer to join him. James doesn't have enough help in his early years in the NBA and his first tenure in Cleveland making him leave his home team to join and team up with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami.

James went on to win two championships in his four years with the Heat and came back to Cleveland to fulfill his promise of bringing a championship for his home team in 2016.