Metta World Peace thinks NBA players are a 'bunch of babies'

Metta World Peace has returned to the Los Angeles Lakers after a few seasons away from the NBA. Don't worry, he's as outspoken as ever.

"I remember I came into the NBA in 1999, the game was a little bit more rough," he told The Los Angeles Times after practice Saturday. "The game now is more for kids. It's not really a man's game anymore. The parents are really protective of their children. They cry to their [Amateur Athletic Union] coaches. They cry to the refs, 'That's a foul. That's a foul.'"

World Peace, signed to a non-guaranteed $1.5 million minimum contract, is vying to earn a roster spot for the team's Oct. 28 opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The forward, who changed his name from Ron Artest in 2011, is about to turn 36. He just isn't terribly impressed with his 20-something colleagues across the league, apart from teammate Julius Randle.

"You've got a bunch of babies professionally around the world," World Peace said.