Metta World Peace Claims He Was Denied Tryout By Team USA Over "Reputation"

It looks like Team USA wants to go in a different direction.

BYAlexander Cole
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The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup is only in just a few weeks and as of right now, Team USA is finalizing its roster that will be headed to China to play against some of the best players in the world. Most of the top tier players in the NBA have dropped out which has allowed some role players to get pretty big opportunities. A few weeks ago, we reported how Carmelo Anthony asked about trying out for the team but was ultimately denied as the team wanted to go in a younger direction. It turns out former NBA star Metta World Peace was also denied a tryout and today, he took to Twitter to explain why he thinks that was the case.

"Mostly because of my reputation. I definitely deserved a tryout. I actually called myself and never got a return phone call," Metta World Peace explained. "My agent gave me the message. All good."

https://twitter.com/_/status/1161503764974637061

Seeing the player formerly known as Ron Artest suit up for Team USA would have been a bizarre sight, especially since he plays in the Big3 now. Metta hasn't exactly been playing with top tier talent as of late and he probably wouldn't have fit in very well on this particular roster.

Either way, it's interesting to see him be denied to coldly, especially since he was a pretty good player during his prime.


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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.