World Peace mum on Pacquiao offer, stresses ‘love’ for PHL

MANILA, Philippines – Metta World Peace, the basketball player formerly known as Ron Artest, has yet to respond to Manny Pacquiao’s offer to acquire his services as a PBA import for Kia Sorentos.

World Peace, however, was vocal about his fondness for the Filipino boxing icon and the Philippines in general, which he reiterated in a blog titled “Much Love for Manny Pacquiao and the Philippines”.

“Pacman and The Panda’s Friend sounds like the ultimate arcade game. Manny Pacquiao is an international star, I have much love for the Philippines,” he wrote in the blog that was published in rantsports.com.

World Peace has reportedly undergone another name change, this time to “The Panda’s Friend,” while Pacquiao is known for his ring moniker “Pacman.”

Pacquiao recently made headlines after expressing desire to hire World Peace as import for Kia Sorentos, one of the latest PBA expansion teams for which Pacquiao is a playing coach. The fighting congressman expressed confidence that he can get World Peace to agree to his offer, calling the former NBA All-Star his “friend.”

"We need a good import. If we get him that would be nice," Pacquiao earlier said of getting World Peace for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

But World Peace has his hands full at the moment as he’ll suit up for the Sichuan Blue Whales in the Chinese Basketball Association.

“I am thinking of China right now and I am excited for this season as a Sichuan Blue Whale,” he wrote in the blog.

A workhorse forward, World Peace had a meaningful NBA career that featured stints with the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, is in the US to promote his fight with Chris Algieri on Nov. 23 in Macau. – With report from AP