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Kobe Bryant’s Former Teammate Sends Message After Phoenix Suns Coaching Vacancy

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Beren | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 3:38 PM ET

Championship pedigree is a quality all NBA franchises aspire to build. The Los Angeles Lakers, the 17-time NBA champions, have more pedigree than anyone except the Boston Celtics.

One of the most famous chapters in the Lakers' storied history was written by Kobe Bryant. The late shooting guard won five NBA titles in a 20-year career, playing under the legendary Phil Jackson and alongside all-time greats like Pau Gasol and Shaquille O'Neal.

But another of Bryant's former teammates, a 2010 champion with the Lakers, wants to enter the coaching ranks as a new NBA coaching carousel begins.

Metta Sandiford-Artest – known as Ron Artest – posted to X on Monday that he wants to replace the fired Mike Bundenholzer as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns.

I would love to Head Coach the @Suns .
— Coach Metta (@MettaWorld37) June 2, 2025

It is not the first time that Sandiford-Artest – formerly known as Metta World Peace until 2020 – has submitted himself as a head coaching candidate. In 2019, he announced his interest in the St. John's job, 20 years after he helped the program reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

The job eventually went to Mike Anderson, and it is now held by two-time national champion Rick Pitino.

That same year, Sandiford-Artest insisted that if an NBA franchise took a chance on him as a head coach, he would lead that franchise to a title, "no question."

"Listen dude, it’s not difficult," he said on X. "Keep spacing, move to open areas, mix C with Triangle and play defense."

However, Sandiford-Artest's coaching credentials are light at best – by his own admission.

He served as a player development coach for the South Bay Lakers during the 2017-18 season, and he claimed that during his final two NBA seasons, he coached part-time at Palisades Charter High School in Los Angeles.

And at any rate, Sandiford-Artest does not appear to be under any kind of consideration for the Suns job. Phoenix fired Budenholzer after a 36-46 season.

Amid questions over the future of superstar forward Kevin Durant, the Suns are deciding between two Cleveland Cavaliers coaches, Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott, to become the 23rd head coach in franchise history.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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