Metta World Peace showed up in China this week with two objective in mind: Play basketball for the Sichuan Blue Whales and hawk "Panda Friendly" shoes in white and black with attached plush panda-themed teddy bear head for $79.99.

Or as World Peace said on Twitter: "Phase one of Metta in China #thenewThePandasFriendsneakers."

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Mix in some Panda Face T-shirts and Metta children's books and you have an entire Metta World Peace experience.

World Peace has rebranded himself for his China experience. He now refers to himself as "The Panda's Friend."

The 34-year-old former NBA star born Ron Artest at Queens N.Y., plays for the Blue Whales this year under a $1.43 million contract, reportedly the most money paid to a Chinese Basketball Association import player ever.

The special edition Panda's Friend shoes are for sale on his mettaworkdpeace.com web site in white and black, sizes 3-14. They're listed as being available in limited quantities that won't ship until November, coincidentally when the Blue Whales season begins.

Technically, the shoes aren't panda bear replicas exactly, more like generic teddy bears, but they're panda-themed and come in panda-type colors.

The shoes are fun and comfortable, according to World Peace, who offers a full of array of social media to track and disseminate his fame. The panda bear doesn't come off, not even by its ears, he said, so enjoy.

You can call him World Peace, or The Panda's Friend this basketball season, but rest assured, whatever he's called, he's really into the shoes. He said he would wear a pair to each game, then throw the shoes to a friend in the stands. That person becomes the Panda's Friend of the day, he said.

Panda's Friend shoes shouldn't be walking city streets alone, though. World Peace's web site also offers the Panda's Face T-shirts in white and black.

Should ensemble alone not be enough World Peace for fans, he also offers the full line of Metta's children's books including Metta's Fatherhood Stories, Metta's Bedtime Stories and, of course, Metta's World Peace and Love Stories. Those run $12.95 each.

TagsMetta World Peace, Sneakers, panda's friend, chinese basketball association, Ron Artest, Lakers, athletic shoes, sports apparel