Matt Barnes recently shared a story about a significant moment in his career. He received intense death threats because of an incident involving the legendary Kobe Bryant.
This incident made Barnes very unpopular among Lakers fans. It happened during a 2009–10 Lakers-Magic game when Barnes tried to intimidate Kobe.
Matt Barnes received death threats over Kobe Bryant incident
Former NBA player Matt Barnes had a solid career spanning 14 seasons, starting with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002 after being drafted in the second round. One notable event that stands out is his encounter with Kobe Bryant, where he made a fake pass that appeared to be aimed at Bryant’s face, although Bryant didn’t hesitate, showcasing his talent on the court.
Reflecting on this incident during a recent chat on Paul George’s podcast, Barnes mentioned receiving threats from Bryant’s fans afterward. While tense at the time, this incident highlights the competitive spirit and intense moments that define NBA rivalries.
He said:
“It was crazy because I started getting super death threats after that,” Barnes said of the play. “I was sort of the bad guy, villain, or whatever. But after that, I became the real villain. People on Twitter threatened to kill me. They’re going to find my address, kill my children, and kill my girlfriend. Come to Los Angeles. You better never return to Los Angeles. We’re gonna kill you. You cannot f— with Kobe. They don’t play about the Lakers, [Los Angeles] Dodgers, and especially Kobe. Bro, I received numerous death threats. I am not kidding you.”
Matt Barnes blames Doc Rivers for stealing money from Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks face a tough time with Doc Rivers as their coach. Former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Matt Barnes have spoken out about this. Arenas reminded everyone that he had warned Milwaukee fans that things might go downhill when Rivers joined the team. Barnes, commenting on an Instagram video, said Rivers seems to be collecting a paycheck without delivering results.
The Bucks signed Rivers to a big contract worth $40 million over four years, but it’s not paying off. They had a good record before Rivers came in, but they’ve been struggling since then. They’ve lost four games in a row, including a disappointing defeat against the New York Knicks.
The Bucks are barely holding onto their second seed in the Eastern Conference. The Orlando Magic and the Knicks are close behind. The Bucks might face an early exit from the playoffs if things don’t improve.
Rivers will face even more criticism if the Bucks don’t do well in the playoffs. Many people, like Arenas, didn’t think he was the right choice for the job. Rivers hasn’t taken a team to the Conference Finals in a long time, and his track record in the playoffs hasn’t been great lately.
