Metta World Peace ‘can’t forgive himself’ for his behavior with the Pacers

In 2004, two years into his Pacers tenure, Metta World Peace won the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Two years later, World Peace was traded to Sacramento for Peja Stojakovic, ending a tumultuous four-year stint with the team. Disgruntled, World Peace reportedly demanded a trade after hearing a rumor that the Pacers were in fact exploring a Stojakovic/Metta swap.

World Peace tells Baxter Holmes of ESPN that he is still haunted by the circumstances of his departure and knowing he let down a franchise that believed in him.

“That’s something that I can never, ever forgive myself for,” said World Peace to Holmes. “I don’t regret it, but I definitely can’t forgive myself for that.”

Despite his successes in Indianapolis, which also include an all-star appearance and an All-NBA Third Team selection, World Peace’s time as a Pacer is largely overshadowed by the 2004 Malice at the Palace brawl between the Pistons and Pacers.

The NBA suspended World Peace for the remainder of the 2004-05 season, making for the longest suspension for an on-court incident in league history. In December of 2005, World Peace told the Indianapolis Star that he was unhappy with coach Rick Carlisle and that he would prefer to play for his hometown New York Knicks.

A month later, in January of 2006, he was traded to the Kings. Donnie Walsh, the Pacers former president, acknowledged that the Indiana environment just did not seem to work for World Peace.

“Maybe this was not the right team for a guy like [World Peace],” said Walsh. “Really, [World Peace] couldn’t get out from under it and I hope he does in Sacramento because everyone needs a fresh start.”

Last Tuesday, almost exactly 12 years after the in-stands brawl that forever changed his career, World Peace returned to Indianapolis as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Just days before his 37th birthday, World Peace is in nearing the closing of his NBA career’s final chapter.

So, after time for a period of reflection, what has Metta World Peace learned about his younger, Indiana self?

“It was like now I realized, ‘Oh, wow, what a f---ing d---head,’” said World Peace, according to Holmes’ ESPN article.

In the article, World Peace reveals that he believed his old Pacers team, led by Hall of Fame shooting guard Reggie Miller, could have won a championship if not for his own wrongdoings. He now says the only way he’ll fully recover from the shame of his Pacers tenure is if a banner is hoisted in Indianapolis.

“Honestly, for me, when the Pacers win a championship, I’ll feel a little bit better,” said World Peace. “That will make me feel a little bit better.”

In a league cluttered with heavyweights like the Warriors and Cavaliers, it may be a bit of time before the Pacers can give Metta a little bit of peace.