



Tyler Hansbrough’s NBA career might not have gone the way he would have liked. Hansbrough was a force in college at the University of North Carolina, but his game based on brute strength didn’t translate especially well to the NBA. He played for three NBA teams in seven years before heading to the G League and, currently, China.

Hansbrough chatted with Joon Lee of Bleacher Report to discuss his life abroad. He also talked about his NBA career, and spent a moment breaking down the most notable moment involving him during his time in the Association.

The Raptors and the Knicks were squaring off in a preseason game. Hansbrough got fouled hard and turned around with an angry look on his face, getting ready for … something. When he turned around, though, he saw Metta World Peace and immediately changed his mind about throwing hands. It was one of the funniest basketball moments of this decade, and Hansbrough finally revealed what was going through his head at the time.



“I’ve seen all the things he’s done, and honestly, I didn’t want to get in a tussle with Ron Artest,” Hansbrough says with a laugh. “I thought it would be somebody else, and I turned around and saw him and was like, ‘Man, it would be Ron Artest.’” … “I consider myself a tougher guy, but I’ve seen things and I didn’t know Ron all that well,” Hansbrough says. “After the incident, it’s funny because every time I see Ron Artest, we always talk. He’s one of the nicest guys. There’s not too many people out there would who would mess with Ron Artest.”

Kudos to Hansbrough for being brave enough to admit he was terrified of having paws put on him by World Peace. Because while Hansbrough has always had the reputation of being a tough dude, messing with Metta World Peace is a recipe for disaster.