Metta World Peace ejected from Italian game for fighting (Video)

Dec 10, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks small forward Metta World Peace reacts in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks small forward Metta World Peace reacts in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Metta World Peace repeatedly had to be held back in an altercation in an Italian basketball game.

Metta World Peace, nee Ron Artest, left playing professionally in China in March to take his talents to Italian team, Pallacanestro Cantu. Of course, he’s also sporting the moniker he adopted during his time in China, The Panda’s Friend.

Despite his amicable new moniker, Metta found himself in an altercation in a game this week that looked on the verge of some bad memories coming back:

Metta clearly wants to come to blows in that moment and his teammates are doing everything in their power to keep that from happening. He’s being held back for over a full minute in that clip with people trying to prevent the Italian remake of the Malice at the Palace from getting underway.

Despite being held back, he was ejected for the incident.

Perhaps the strangest part of it all is that Metta wasn’t even involved in the initial play that sparked the scuffle. He simply runs in after the fact and has to be held back.

The 35-year-old may have found new life playing overseas, but things like temperament and erratic behavior rarely fully go away, whether there’s a change of location or not.

H/T to Reddit

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