NBA

Metta World Peace to coach high school girls team in LA

He’s gone by Ron Artest and Metta World Peace. The former Lakers and Knicks small forward may have a new name soon: Coach.

The unpredictable New York City product will be an assistant coach for the Palisades High girls basketball team, according to its head coach, Torino Johnson.

“He’ll be heavily involved in our program,” Johnson told the Orange County Register. “We keep having, it’s an ongoing dialogue, but it’s all positive. There’s no out. The only purpose for this is to be positive and to be impactful — and this is of his choosing.”

Johnson met World Peace after coaching his daughter in the program four years ago. World Peace, 34, played in 29 games for the Knicks last season after playing for the Lakers from 2009 to 2013, a stint that included winning a title in 2010.

Palisades went 21-12 in 2013-14. The team won the LA City Section Division 2 title in 2012.

“No one else that I know of in high school basketball has this opportunity, where they have a current NBA veteran on their coaching staff who can divulge that expertise,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of all hands on deck for us and we’re very fortunate and excited about him wanting to be a presence in our program.”