Mike Brown laughs off Metta World Peace’s making fun of weight

Mike Brown professes never to read the news, watch television or hear much of anything about his basketball team beyond what happens on the court.

So of course, it was on the fourth estate to make Brown aware that Metta World Peace made fun of his weight by saying, “He did come in out of shape. He is a fat ....”

“That’s cute,” Brown said with a hearty laugh.

After all, Brown had often poked fun at his beefy exterior as well as Lakers assistant coaches Chuck Person and Darvin Ham, both former NBA players.

“I’ll be [out of shape] next training camp, but Darvin better not be,” Brown said. “Darvin is in better shape than both Chuck and I. I would pick him up before I would pick Chuck or myself up. Chuck can still shoot.”

Clearly, this issues doesn’t compare to matters Brown and World Peace raised earlier this season. Frustrated over his fluctuating minutes and poor shooting percentage, World Peace questioned Brown’s coaching credentials, noting his background as a video coordinator and labeling him a “stats guy.” Brown countered that if that were true, World Peace wouldn’t have played much this season.

Some might see World Peace’s little dig as disrespectful. It is at the least juvenile. But World Peace, in his goofy way, just couldn’t resist throwing a punch line after largely defending Brown regarding the Lakers’ losing in five games to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 Western Conference semifinals.

“It was a drastic change. It was big getting used to, but at the same time we should still be up 3-2,” World Peace said. “Mike wasn’t out there guarding Kevin [Durant]. That was me. Kevin scored on me. Mike didn’t throw turnovers at the end of the game. Mike didn’t miss three-point shots. I missed three-point shots. Mike didn’t come in out of shape.”

Then World Peace delivered the punch line.

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Mike Brown laughs off Metta World Peace’s making fun of weight