Exclusive: Former NBA Star Metta World Peace And Wife Maya Share Images From Gorgeous Maternity Shoot

After 17 years in the NBA, Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest (and also as Metta Sandiford Artest) retired from the NBA in 2017. Since then, he’s been busy. He married his longtime love Maya Sandiford Artest, in 2018, and now, the couple are expecting their first child together. A baby boy.

“We really took our time with our relationship,” Maya, who is the daughter of a Black mother and Asian father, shares with ESSENCE. “We got married after six years of being together, and four years later we are now expecting.” Artest is already a father to Ron III and Jeron, as well as daughters Sadie and Diamond, from his first marriage and a past relationship.

“To be completely honest, our pregnancy wasn’t really planned,” she adds. “An OB said I likely wasn’t ovulating, so it was a definite surprise. Now, we couldn’t be more excited!”

“I was ready for kids with Maya since day 1,” the former NBA star adds. “She’s going to be a great mom.”

To celebrate the arrival of their first little one together, the couple took part in a photo shoot, the pair captured in different serene settings. As dreamy as everything appears, the whole thing was “impromptu,” according to Maya. The photographer, Ali Parker, was passing through Los Angeles and Maya was able to lock her down before she left town.

The results are images shot at the beach, in nature, in elegant evening wear as the mom-to-be caresses her bump and the former baller smiles. In addition to taking maternity photos, both parties have been preparing themselves for the big changes that come with having a baby in the house.

“I’ve been her assistant. Making teas, her breakfast, cutting up her watermelon – she eats like a watermelon a day,” he says. “And we’re about to take a birth prep course in July.”

As for Maya, she’s been equipping herself with all the knowledge necessary to be the best mama possible.

“I’ve been listening to a ton of audiobooks, and I have been so lucky to have a group of girlfriends who are all due around the same time as me or have had babies in the last few years,” she says.

“We’ve got a little baby club chat and I’ve been leaning on them for any and all pregnancy questions. We’ve got a little community, and it’s so comforting.”

While the couple admittedly have some nerves about the sleep deprivation that’s a given with a newborn, they can’t wait to meet their little one. And with a father named Metta World Peace we couldn’t help but wonder, will their son have a name as creative?

“Oh yeah,” Maya says. “But you’ll have to wait and find out!”