If you’ve ever watched Dwyane Wade in his prime, you know he was a nightmare for defenders. Just ask Tony Allen. “D-Wade was so motherf—ing good. His back door cutting game, play off the ball, man I ain’t gonna lie, he motivated me,” Allen once admitted. While Allen praised Wade, he also revealed that Wade considered him one of the toughest defenders he’d ever faced.

D-Wade thrived against elite defenders, using every tough matchup as fuel to elevate his game. And while Allen made life difficult, there was one defender who truly made Wade feel like he was locked up in jail. That defender was the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year, Ron Artest, later known as Metta World Peace. It was only natural that when he sat down with his son, Ron Artest III, the topic of defense came up right away

That respect was on full display when Dwyane Wade hosted Artest III on his podcast. “Your father was one of the best defenders that I’ve definitely personally played against,” Wade told the 25-year-old. And it turns out, Artest took immense pride in guarding Wade. “He loved guarding you,” Ron Artest III said. It highlighted just how much his father embraced the challenge of locking down the best scorers in the league.

Wade then shifted the conversation to discuss what made Metta so difficult to beat. “Do you understand why he was such a good defender?” he asked. Artest III didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I’ve seen him. I’ve seen him every day. I’ve seen him going to practice in the gym all day.” But there was more to it than just hard work. “His environment growing up. He had to get out of where he was at sometimes. He didn’t have a choice,” his son explained.

Interestingly, Wade faced Metta in the Eastern Conference semifinals where he put up solid numbers: 21.0 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds. At the time, Metta was the reigning DPOY. But, Wade realized something: “He was stronger than me, but I was so quick and I was strong.” If even the best defender in the league couldn’t stop him, Wade knew the rest of the NBA was in trouble. But that didn’t mean Metta made it easy for Wade.

Why was Metta World Peace D-Wade’s toughest obstacle?

Dwyane Wade never forgets the defenders who made life tough for him on the court. A few days ago, on his podcast, the three-time NBA champ reflected on one of the fiercest matchups of his career—Metta World Peace. “When I came into the league, he was THE perimeter defender in the league,” Wade said, making it clear how dominant Metta was.

But instead of shying away from the challenge, Wade used it as motivation. “I knew I was going to be really good in this league when I found out how to score on him.” That’s a level of respect only the best defenders earn.

The conversation then shifted to what made Metta so difficult to beat. Wade highlighted his elite footwork, saying, “He didn’t go for fakes. He had great lateral movement, so he could stay in front of you.” His defensive instincts were so sharp that Wade quickly realized he couldn’t get too flashy—Metta wasn’t falling for any tricks.

“You gotta make one move because if you make too many, he’s going to put you in this bag. In a jail cell,” Wade said with a grin.

And he wasn’t exaggerating. Metta’s defensive dominance earned him the 2004 DPOY award, multiple All-Defense selections, and even a key role in the Lakers’ 2010 championship run. Unlike many defenders who bit on fakes, Metta’s footwork and discipline made him nearly impossible to shake.

One reason why he fit in so well with Gasol and Kobe was his underrated playmaking, too.  His ability to read offensive plays before they happened gave him an edge, and his physicality made it nearly impossible to finish through contact

Every great scorer needs a great defender to push them to the next level. For Wade, that challenge came in the form of Metta World Peace. One of the toughest, smartest, and perhaps underrated defenders in NBA history.