The Pacers legend is taking things up a notch. Having gained immense fame during his 19-year career in the NBA, he remains one of the few stars to openly discuss the importance of mental and physical wellness. Now, he is expanding his influence into the business world. As Metta World Peace sets his sights on new entrepreneurial endeavors, he will have to cleverly use the net worth that he amassed from his NBA and entertainment careers to boost his new ambition.

MWP has recently teamed up with Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols to launch a venture fund aimed at supporting sports tech, digital media platforms, and health and wellness innovations. Named Tru Skye Ventures, the fund aims to raise approximately $100 million by the end of the first quarter of next year.

This newest venture has already made its first investment in Barcode. While the amount of investment is unknown, Barcode is a plant-based performance drink brand founded by Mubarak “Bar” Malik, the former director of performance for the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. 

Speaking of MWP’s connection with his partner Stokols and most importantly, investing, it dates all the way back to the time when he left the NBA for good. After retiring from the NBA, he pursued a master’s degree and took digital analytics courses at UCLA to better understand private equity and finance. During this time, he was actively investing and learning. Recently, the duo decided to scale up their efforts with this new endeavor.

“We’re taking it from angel investing and individual investing like we’ve done historically into more institutional. We can write bigger checks and follow along with these companies and add more formal value,” Stokols said as per a report by Sportico. He raved about the basketball legend’s immense network, which he built throughout his career.

And MWP’s $30 million net worth that he amassed, isn’t just from his NBA career. It is also bolstered by his ventures in the entertainment industry and his growing business portfolio.

Metta World Peace’s NBA and music career

MWP had a remarkable college career followed by an even more illustrious NBA career. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls as the 16th overall pick in 1999, he went on to play for six teams throughout his professional journey. In 2009, he signed a five-year deal worth $33 million. After a brief stint in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Metta World Peace returned to the Lakers for his second season. 

Known initially as Ron Artest, he changed his name to Metta World Peace but is more popularly known for unforgettable talent in the basketball game and entertainment world. Over the course of his playing career, he earned an impressive $77 million.

In 2006, the Indiana Pacers legend ventured into music by releasing his rap album My World. Some of the famed musicians were part of it. Four years later, in 2010, he partnered with E1 Entertainment and Tijuana Entertainment to launch his reality show, They Call Me Crazy.

Expanding into the entertainment industry, he produced the sports drama When The Bell Rings in 2014 and made appearances in films such as Think Like a Man and Dream Girl. Many fans might also remember him competing on Dancing with the Stars and later appearing as a panelist on the Nickelodeon game show Figure it Out.

Additionally, he had a role in Key & Peele and participated in Celebrity Big Brother in 2018. Now, it seems that he is all set to venture out on a different arena.