Although it’s Metta World Peace’s first time in the Philippines, the ex-Lakers star formerly known as Ron Artest actually has some pretty hefty ties to the country. His son, Jeron Artest, for one thing, is actually Fil-Am!
The 16-year-old, currently a 6-foot-1 guard at Beverly Hills High School in California, was born to a Filipina, Jennifer Palma. According to his NBA star dad, Jeron is showing some serious dedication to the sport even at a young age. Metta would love to see his son play for the Philippines’ national team, especially since he didn’t get his chance to suit up with Team USA for the Olympics.
Speaking to reporters, Metta said:
“I was never invited to play to the Olympics. They said that they don’t need a player like myself for the team. That was tough for me because I wanted to play in the Olympics. So anytime your kid gets a chance to play for the national team, I do feel like it’s special. To play for the national team is really something different.”
Jeron, who got a Philippine passport before he turned 16, has been coming back and forth to the Philippines, according to Metta.
“My son has been coming over to the Philippines and he’s very motivated. He’s working very hard. He’s going to be a senior next year. He’s very good academically and he got an offer from Yale and a lot of Ivy League schools. He can also play in Division I college also so he’s a very smart kid.”
Thoughts on this? Would you like to see Metta’s son play for Gilas?
