Metta Sandiford-Artest is one of the most unique and controversial players to ever lace 'em up in the NBA. From his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls to his role in the notorious "Malice at the Palace" and his crucial late-game makes that helped the Los Angeles Lakers capture the 2010 NBA title, Artest left a unique mark in the Association.
There are plenty of stories about his legendary escapades, but one of the better-known ones is the time Artest got a job at Circuit City during his rookie year in the NBA. Even though he was now a professional athlete, “the player formerly known as Ron Artest” wanted to keep himself grounded.
Employee discount
Being an NBA player has a lot of perks. Unfortunately for Metta, those perks could not help him purchase electronics at a discount. So, Chicago's 16th pick in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft did something clever – he applied for a job at Circuit City! As former teammate Eddy Curry recounted, what Artest did was nothing short of amazing.
"I remember Ron Artest got a job at Circuit City so he could get a discount because he wanted the employee discount. It was right down the street from the Berto Center. He went there and got a job there. That was amazing," said Curry.
On the application form, the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year was as truthful as can be. He revealed on the application his real name and occupation – NBA player. He even listed then-Bulls GM Jerry Krause as a reference!
"I was bored"
The player also formerly known as Metta World Peace confirmed this story in an interview with ESPN in 2015, saying that was his way of staying grounded and out of trouble.
"I was bored, I was partying a little bit too much," he said. "I was trying to find ways to stay grounded, so one of the things I did was apply for a job at Circuit City."
The one-time NBA All-Star narrated that he did his job well during his one-day stint and helped customers buy what they needed. And yes, he got the discount he was looking for.
"I got the job, 50 percent discounts, and things," World Peace added.
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