Former Indiana Pacers star Metta World Peace (Ron Artest at the time) talked with Hard Rock Bet about his old team, the NBA playoffs, the rise of the WNBA and World Cup soccer in a recent interview.
How does Caitlin Clark compare to Stephen Curry?
World Peace discussed the rise of women’s basketball, noting the addition of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and comparisons to NBA players, and how it reminds him of Kobe Bryant’s rise after Michael Jordan’s retirement.
“I think this is happening with Stephen Curry and Caitlin Clark. Clark really reminds me of Curry in terms of her skill set. She may even be a better passer. That’s not to take anything away from Curry. He is also incredible.”
Will Tyrese Haliburton be his old self when he returns from an Achilles injury?
Tyrese Haliburton missed this season with a right Achilles injury suffered in Game 7 of last year’s NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Haliburton has had the entire season to recover, and he’ll have the offseason too. So, he’s had more than enough time. He’ll come back with the same speed, and his body will be well-rested.
“The technology today is also great, and guys get more rest. When we played, even 18-year veterans were practicing hard, for the most part. But the recovery side of things and the science are a lot better today. It allows players to recover faster and better than we did.”
Can the Indiana Pacers get back to the NBA Finals next year?
The Pacers mustered just 19 wins this season but are optimistic about 2026-27 with Haliburton’s expected return and, with luck, far fewer injuries to other key players than this year.
“Haliburton returning is going to be a massive help, obviously.
“Outside of that, I don’t think they need much more because they have coach Rick Carlisle.
“Coach Carlisle is really good at getting the best out of what he has. In fact, he’s one of the best at this. You saw that during the team’s run to the NBA Finals last season. On paper, I don’t think they were a team that was capable of going as far as they did. But Carlisle got the best out of them, and he can spot holes in other teams.”
Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark, Tyrese Haliburton get shout-outs from former Pacers star Metta World Peace
Reporting by Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
