Metta World Peace says why he should be New York Knicks next head coach | Draymond & Baron

You recently announced that you want to be the head coach of the Knicks. Tell me why.

New York, New York. Let's just start there.

Queensbridge finest. I don't know. I don't know if you Queensbridge finest though.

I'm not the finest. That's the finest. I'm not the genius. I'm not the finest.

Hey yo, come on. I gotta get at you, dog. I mean, I gotta give that to you over Nas. You loved it way more, loved in more states and more cities. You know, you got a loyal cult. Like, you've taken Queens everywhere.

That is true. Let me tell you how it is. So look, we look up to Nas, we look up to Jordan, right? Like, Nas is like, imagine growing up and Nas is, he grew up right here. You know what I mean? It's insane, right? So, but Nas told me one time, he's like, yo, you the man. Like, Nas did say, yeah, you know, you the— you— I said, I said, what up, King? He said, nah, you the king. I said, hell no, I ain't no king. You the king now. Get out of here with that. You the king. You the king of that. I call myself the Prince of Queensbridge.

There it is.

That's fine.

No, but you know, um, yeah, I want to be the head coach because one, Since 1999, I've been trying to get to the Knicks. Baron, we was at the draft together.

I had the Knicks. Yes, I remember that. I was mad, I thought that was gonna happen, bro.

It was supposed to happen. I was ironing, Baron came into my room, I was ironing my single dollar bills. I was like, I'm gonna have more money this time. I wanted to go to the draft crispy, so I ironed all my singles. I had about 35 singles. So then we get to the draft.

Oh, thanks.

You came in my room, BD.

Facts. Oh my God.

So I get to the draft. I was projected to go top 10. You know, even if you look at the draft, you'll see I was projected to go top 10, but I was telling my agent, just let it get to 15, please. So I get to 15. I got the knit warmup under the practice jersey.

He was all ready. He was—

I was ready to get drafted, rip it open like, New York in the building, we coming, we about to win this title. That was the whole plan, right? So they pass on me, the Bulls pick me next. I'm walking on stage looking at Mr. Cal Scott.

It was tough.

I'm looking at him, I'm like, I got the Bulls Jesus right there. I'm looking, I'm not even—

Bro, he was—

I'm looking at Topscap like, yo, what the? Are you passed out? David Stern right there.

So, you know. Remember Boston Cop? Remember the Boston shootout? That's what he was on. He was, hey, Don, I cannot believe that.

I was crying.

I could not believe that. I could, everybody, it was like, Everybody knew, everybody knew that was gonna happen.

You were supposed to go to the city. We were supposed to go to the city. It was supposed to happen.

Oh.

I'm a New York legend. I got so many championships. So when it didn't happen, you know, I love the Bulls. I would go to the Bulls, go to Indiana. I was always thinking about going back to the Knicks, but now I'm building, so, you know, a family in Indiana, which is like my second home now, right? So then almost in 2010, I almost went to the Knicks again. But Melo's available, all these other players, LeBron's here now. So it was like, it's priority now, right? Even though I was still a pretty good player, I thought they should have picked me. I'm a New York City player, but it proved my point that if they were to pick me, imagine that defensive player of the year in New York. Imagine being the— I was on the best team in the East, you know?

Yes, you were.

You know, he was on the best. So that could have been in New York. So then I go to New York at the end of my career. I'm like, this is great. Like, I'm in New York. Like, it was a blessing. Shout out to the Knicks though. I love the Knicks organization.

Yeah, Knicks is A1.

Shout out to the Knicks, word. Shout out to all of them. So then at the end of my career, I knew I was gonna get into coaching 'cause when I was at the two, my last two years with the Lakers, I would leave practice and go to my Palisades girls' practice. That's when I started coaching. I always wanted to coach. So I did two years at Palisades with Coach Draymond Green. We won two championships there. I was like an assistant coach. I do the G League when I retire, half a season part-time, because I was, um, I wasn't really into it fully when I, I needed a break from basketball.

Yeah.

And I wanted to spend time with my family too. I had a long career. So then what I did was I became an assistant coach, associate head coach at Cal State LA for 7 years, the last 7 years up until now at a, now, yeah, it's Division II, but I did try to get some opportunities, which is nobody's fault, but I just could not get on an NBA team. Now, I could have got on the Lakers, but the timing was— on the Lakers G League, but the timing was bad because I needed a break from basketball. So the timing was bad to go to the Lakers. So that window left. And I said, but I just kept coaching. I had some coaches that said they might call me, they might call me. I had no callback. You know, I was trying to get G Leagues, I was trying to get here, get there, but no calls back. So, you know, in the old school, If I need to go into the gym and the gym is closed, I'll just go outside in the park and work on my game. That's what I've been doing over the last 7 years. I've been working on my craft. I'm on my shiznick right now when it comes to culture because I've been through the emotion. We took a team from the last 20 to 30 years before I got there, no NCAA appearances, to having a rough first year, second year got better, to making it NCAA 2 years in a row and being ranked in Division II. you know, in the top 10 in the preseason. Now granted, we had an injury last year, right? But that's coaching. And now, so I didn't expect this Knick job to be available, by the way. I was actually, I was in, I was on the island, like literally at a coffee shop. I get the tweet, I'm like, ooh, I gotta get on it. But I'm ready for that moment. It's like, Dray, if you pick, if you set a double screen, you know, call it the left corner double screen, and they show too much, you're gonna slip. You're not thinking about that. You slipping, boom. That's, that's— I saw the opportunity, I slipped. You know, I saw a shot, I took it. I gotta send that tweet out now because that's how ready I am. That's how ready I am. I'm ready for the press. You mentioned that earlier, like, oh, these guys is not ready. I'm ready for the press. I wanted this opportunity. This is in the back of my head forever. So when you saw it, then I said, I gotta create the momentum because I don't have an agent. This is a one-man band. You think, you think, you think you can coach Jalen Brunson and—

Yeah, man.

All right, so listen, say—

Absolutely.

The Knicks don't make a trade.

Right.

The Knicks don't do anything. They come back with the same team next year.

Right.

You think you can coach those guys to a championship?

I'm on my A game right now, man. I'm on my A game for sure. Like, and so let's just speak here from that perspective. This is not like saying, I'm not in the talks. Nobody has called me. So I'm not, this is no pressure on the Knicks. I love the Knicks organization. 'Cause I also do a lot of community service with the Knicks. But this is not to put any pressure on the Knicks. This is just talking as, you know, I'm honored to be on the show. For sure. Like when I look at, I'm a Pacers fan. I'm at the Pacers game today. 100%. I'm gonna be honest and transparent. But when I look at that game, it was little things. We talked about the little things. I don't want to give it all away 'cause I wanna save it for when I coach. But we talk about not being ready. You know, or things they could have done different. You look at the end of the fourth quarters, what happened? Even the bounce alone with Halliburton, that soft touch, even that one bounce goes the right way, we're talking it could be, it could have been a different series.

True.

You know, in the garden. So just from that alone and that experience alone, they're gonna get better 'cause they learned, they got their butt kicked this year. At home, so they're gonna get better. And now, and then you get a chance to coach Brunson. Brunson is different. Brunson is not the same mentality as a lot of people. He went to the Garden. That's what Carmelo did. Carmelo went to the Garden when everybody else did not want to go to the Garden. Nobody wanted to follow because of that pressure. Baron, you know, you played in New York, BD. So from that perspective, I think I got the— I would have the team. We would be expected to win. Obviously you're gonna have a staff. It's not gonna just be Metta World Peace on the bench by itself, like, thinking hard and getting people's water. We'll have a dope staff, right? And then yeah, we'll compete and win the title. He's like, we don't have no other build. I only got one. I'm not speaking like from a Draymond perspective. Like, Draymond got 4. Draymond could come on here and say, we gonna win, for sure we gonna win. I'm coming on here saying we gonna win.

I got one.

I'm coming on here saying, yeah, we coming to win the title. In New York City.

And that, and for you, that means more to you than just an NBA title because you're from New York.

Yeah, I've been trying to get to, I've been trying to get to New York for quite some time. The whole story is different. It's one, I have the experience, right? Because I play in the league.

And you're a champion.

Champion, many roles, did what I had to do. Then part two, um, Everywhere up in New York City, from UDC to Milbank to Minising to 145th to 119th and 2nd to Kingdom to Rucker, he's just championships there the whole time. He's MVPs and champs. So I got all— I got this history in New York City. When you combine that together, it is a perfect time to win a title. Now I'm going to apologize to a few people. I'm going to be legendary after this.

Sorry. So I ask you this question, as someone who's been in the NBA, following your footsteps where we don't take bullshit, we not going for that, we willing to go to whatever lengths to show you we're not going for that.

Right, right.

What do you say to the guy who's like, yeah, but you can't keep your head because you gonna lose it. You not like, even when I watch you play, you lose it. 'Cause that's what they say to me. What do you say to that guy?

Which I might call you, Draymond, and say, hey, what do you think? But when you coaching a knucklehead or immature person like Meta or whatever the case may be, I think it's connecting. You know, it's like I was in a different situation. That's why I love how you play, Draymond, because you never put your, you never was detrimental to your team. You was detrimental to yourself. At times, which is why you go to your DMs, you're gonna see some DMs from me, Draymond Green. You're gonna see them. But you was never detrimental to your team. I didn't have that, you know? And I learned a lot from you, by the way. I learned a lot from Stephen Curry. Not even talk, I don't even talk to Stephen, but I watch, analyze, and learn at the end of my career. So, you know, from that perspective, you know, you coaching emotional, right? We all emotional. We got big egos.

I understand.

We got big egos, right? I understand that. And for me, you know, certain things just don't stress me out.

So, so a guy like me playing against your team, you with the Knicks, you the head coach, and I'm out there trying to bully Carl Towns. Like you not coming.

Man, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna take you. I'm gonna take your 13th man off the bench and I'm gonna put him in the game and I'm gonna say, you, go fuck with Draymond. Oh, they foul the shit out of Draymond Green in his chest and say something to him. Then I'mma give him an iso against you, and I don't care if you stop him, if they'll give a charge. I'm like, make an offensive foul against Draymond. Then the third time down, I'mma let him foul your ass again. And after that, you gonna lose your shit. Then I'mma go sit him down. Now I'mma sit him down on the bench. And you gonna talk to him all night?

I guess what— hey, hey, hey! Hey listen, guess what? Guess what? Guess what BD? Now Ron Artest gotta go be the head coach of the New York Knicks. You see that thing? Yeah, yeah. That's all cool. That's all fine and dandy. You got at me but now you gotta go be the head coach of the New York Knicks.

100%. I think without putting too much pressure, I'mma support the Knicks regardless. Let's say they didn't pick me, which I don't want that to happen. I'm not saying that.

People— Even assistant coach though. Even assistant coach, man. Starting off somewhere, be—

Hold on, don't mention that type of stuff. Don't throw that type of— My fault, my fault.

Head coach, head coach, head coach.

Sage on D. Beatty, put some sage. Be ready, baby. Hey, be ready. And you want to know something? I know what New York City is like. Say we don't win, I'm gonna be the biggest fool in New York City. You understand? I don't— do I want that?

I'm ready for it. But they gonna throw tomatoes at your ass. You gonna walk down the street, what are you gonna do when y'all losing and you walk down the street and somebody hits you with a tomato?

I'mma turn the cheek.

I'mma turn down the cheek.

You got to.

Hey, listen, before we move on, I must say this. When I look at the New York Knicks team, I'm just gonna be 100% honest with the both of you because I got the utmost respect for the both of y'all and y'all are connected to the Knicks, the Knicks organization. And so I'm gonna be 100% honest with the both of y'all. I think when I look at that organization, does Tom Thibodeau help you win an NBA championship or not? I don't know. I'm not certain that he does. I'm not certain that he doesn't. But what I am certain of is that the culture of that organization it's going to be proper. It's going to be the right way. They going to go about things the right way.

Yeah.

And so I've watched this team now, this organization has someone who knows what it means to win championships and know what it means to look like championships and to know what it should look like in order to win the NBA championship.

Excuse me. Yeah.

I've watched this team Now, this organization fire a guy who I think is, he goes about his business the right way. Will he win a championship for you? I don't know. But what I've watched is this team now go after 4 or 5 head coaches and be denied the opportunity to speak to them. And when I see that, I say, hmm. Hmm. What I do know this team needs is someone who's going to be respected when— 'Cause see, here's what you gotta understand. For me, as someone who's won 4 championships in this league, who would turn to your bench and say, "All y'all fucking weak and your coach suck and I don't believe in y'all," because I'll say that to your bench and annihilate your bench and crush your bench because All of that matters when you're talking about winning a championship. As someone who would say that, I would actually say that. Now, whereas I think it's different is, and this is just me being, keeping it 100 with both of y'all, because that's how I'm gonna keep it. When I take a step back, I look at you and I say, there's no chance I'd ever come to your bitch and say, "All you motherfuckers weak. I'll beat all y'all. There's no chance y'all can win. There's no chance y'all can beat us." Because when people have never won a championship, they don't understand the value of that thing, which is how important it is that the people that walk past your bitch have respect for your bitch. People don't understand that thing. Yeah. And so when I look at the Knicks situation, I say, me personally, they need someone that commands this respect of a Tom Thibodeau. They need someone that commands the respect of the NBA, but they're going to think that with that team, that they were really a conference finals team. And I actually think they need someone like you to say, maybe we weren't, maybe we were, but the respect that's gonna be had towards our bitch is the respect that needs to be had towards the championship. And so my thing would be, what is one of us to do when you're viewed as Metta World Peace, Ron Artest, the basketball player? And not met a world peace runner, artistic guy who's gonna command the respect on a bench that a bench must have in order to compete at a championship level. How do we beat that thing?

You mean how do we accomplish that? Like how do we, yeah, I mean for me—

And see, here's what I, I said how do we beat that thing? Because I said that, and this ain't you talking, this is me talking.

Yeah.

I said that because I feel like when I say beat that thing, that's also something we're up against in order to reach success.

Exactly.

So that's why I said it that way. That's not you speaking.

Yeah, yeah.

That's me speaking. But how do we get past that thing to where me personally, as someone who's gone through this league and won championships, if I see you on the sideline, there's a different respect that I'm gonna have for someone else. How do we beat that thing of like, you're a current player? Because in our world, they use that against us. Like, you don't know what you're talking about.

Right.

But in every other world, if you did that, you're the guy for the job. So how do we beat that thing?

No, 100%. And it's true. You know, I feel like, and then a lot of the stuff that people worry about too, I don't necessarily worry about. I'm focused on, your strategy, um, what I'm gonna do when I, when I get my opportunity. I know BD alluded to like an assistant coaching role. I never— I'm actually open to a lot.

Yeah, I'll be your assistant coach, bro. You're gonna be the head coach, I'll be the assistant coach.

Oh yeah, I might have to call you.

Come on, come on, come on, man.

You know how much pressure it is being in New York, and this is not like to scare anybody. I'm gonna support anybody who gets a job, but for me to come out like this and talk about it, and the fans, you know, some fans already like, hell no, I'm going back. I'm like really taking that head on. Like, I'm not afraid of this moment.

You built for it. You built for it. Yeah, you, you born to do this. You know it. You, you're a great person. You're great with people. You know, you embody, you embody New York basketball. And you embody basketball too. For somebody, you know, as a superstar, All-Star, seeing your trajectory from kids and seeing you now, like you've mastered all levels of a player and you've won at all, you know, you've won at the highest level at a, as an integral part of a team. Yeah. Where you had to be a thinker, where you had to be an adjuster, where you had to think strategy, where you had to be a disruptor to complement superstars. So you know what a superstar needs. You know what a rising star needs, right? You know what a young and upcoming dude who's looking for that motivation or that opportunity, like you can relate on so many levels because you've played all those different roles in your journey. And I think a lot of that was by choice, right? Being a superstar and then deciding, all right, well, I'm gonna go over here and be the ultimate role player. And then to work your system like that. So I commend you, bro. If you need an assistant coach, I'm there.

Let's go.

Let's go. We gonna campaign. Meta for— But Knicks coach, you got my vote.