It’s always tough for professional athletes to stay away from their respective sports. They have a tremendous love for the game, so the knowledge and mindset they built throughout the years is an itch that can’t be scratched easily.

Retired defensive ace and beloved wildcard Metta World Peace, who has never truly stepped away from basketball in his entire life, is in that category. He played 18 pro seasons (17 in the NBA and one in the CBA), and is currently an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers’ G-League affiliate, South Bay Lakers. So, now, he wants another crack at the NBA’s top level, this time as a head coach.

In a recently released transcript from the Business Inside the Game summit (held prior to the coronavirus lockdown), World Peace, alongside with co-retiree Baron Davis, discussed varying aspects of life within and outside basketball.

At one point, the two jokingly brought up the New York Knicks’ head coaching position. Metta, however, made sure everyone knows that there’s some hint of seriousness in there. He’s a loud and proud New Yorker after all:

World Peace: I’m so proud of New York City. Every time the Knick [coaching] job is available, I’m always, like…

Davis: You should take the Knick job.

World Peace: I don’t really care, honestly, but I would take it. It’s the only job I want.

Always one of the most brazen in the room, World Peace also declared that should he get a chance at coaching in the big leagues, he wants to start at the top right away.

“There’s a couple jobs that I’m, like, really… I’m not interested in being an assistant coach. People are always saying, ‘Hey, why don’t you wanna be an assistant?’ Because I just don’t want to. I want to go straight to the head job.”

It’s great to hear that World Peace has that drive and vision, especially for that particular team. It’s rare to hear someone be that hungry for the Knicks.

Being that Knicks’ coach isn’t exactly the most desirable gig in the sport – or any other sport for that matter. The franchise has been marred with a never-ending wave of controversy and poor management decisions, mostly from their heavily panned team owner, James Dolan.

Career assistant Mike Miller is currently the interim coach of the Knicks. He filled the position in early December when former coach David Fizdale got fired following a putrid 4-18 start. Under Miller’s leadership, New York maintained a losing record (17-27), but has slightly increased its scoring (from 100.5 PPG to 108.5 PPG). There have been no reports of him getting replaced.

If by some insane twist of fate World Peace gets the job, let’s wish him and the franchise all the luck. We all know how unhinged he can be anytime, more so when things go south – which is likely if comes in as a rookie head coach on a perennial lottery squad.

Keep in mind, the Knicks have missed the postseason in each of the last seven years, and have only won one playoff series since the 2000-01 campaign.