Metta World Peace, Ron Artest

New York Knicks forward Metta World Peace warms up before facing the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Denver on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013.

(David Zalubowski | The Associated Press)

Metta World Peace, the basketball player formerly known as Ron Artest, is changing his name again. And like "World Peace," he wants to continue being known as a friendly guy.

"I'm changing my name for the China this season !!!! You guys will love it," he wrote on Twitter Monday.

On Thursday, China Daily reported he picked a name: Panda Friend.

He later tweeted a correction: "Guys my chinese name is not 'Panda Friend,' its (sic) 'The Pandas Friend.'"

Friend, 34, announced earlier this week that he had signed a one-year deal with the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association. According to NBC Sports, "Metta World Peace" translates to "Ci Shiping" in the Asian country. But before putting on a jersey, he's decided to rename himself after the giant panda, which is based in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

The small forward was waived by the New York Knicks in February after 15 years in the NBA, and briefly became an assistant girls' basketball coach at Palisades High School in California. He previously played for the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers.

Artest legally changed his name to Metta World Peace in 2011, with the name "World Peace" appearing on the back of his jerseys after that. The rebranding came seven years after he was suspended for an entire season for punching a fan during a brawl between the Pacers and Detroit Pistons in 2004, and four years after he was arrested for domestic violence.

It is unclear whether the New York native plans to make "The Panda's Friend" a legal name, or whether the full name will appear on jerseys over simply "Friend."

According to The Washington Post, Artest/World Peace/Friend is one of several NBA stars to move their careers to China, along with Stephon Marbury and Tracy McGrady.