Metta Sandiford-Artest

Founder at Artest Management Group and Former NBA Player

Speaker

Metta Sandiford-Artest is a man of many names, but has a reputation for being one of the best defenders in NBA history. In 2017, he retired from professional basketball after 19 seasons in the league, having won the NBA World Championship with the LA Lakers in 2010, and after receiving the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award – the NBA’s highest citizenship and community service honor.

Since leaving basketball, Metta has launched several companies such as XvsX Sports, The Panda’s Friend, SaySo Entertainment, and more. He is the founder of Artest Management Group (AMG) – a data-driven global conglomerate across sports, media, and technology – and a well-respected investor that’s also supporting up and coming athletes and big industry names with financial and career consultation. He has a passion for technology and startups and takes the same champion style approach from the court to the business world.

Metta is also known as a prominent mental health advocate, pop culture personality and media favorite. He raffled off his 2010 NBA World Championship Ring with the proceeds going to his nonprofit, Xcel University (now known as Artest University). The online ring raffle raised more than $650,000. Funds were donated to nonprofits that provide mental health therapists and mental health services to their communities and to provide scholarships to underprivileged youth in the New York City area.