Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Former NBA player Matt Barnes is reportedly no longer an analyst at NBC Sports California in the wake of his incident with a student announcer.
He worked as an analyst with the Sacramento Kings, a team he spent two seasons playing for in the NBA.
The Kings currently sit as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference at 31-23. Sacramento has won just five of its last 10 games but picked up a road victory over the Denver Nuggets in its final contest prior to the All-Star break.
Barnes was seen grabbing Jake Lancer by the neck during his son’s high school basketball game earlier this month between the Harvard-Westlake Wolverines and Crespi Carmelite Celts. His son plays for the latter.
The incident started after Barnes’ son was given a technical foul. The 43-year-old was arguing the call with officials and then decided to approach Lancer.
One post on social media indicated that Lancer told Barnes to “shut up” during their interaction.
But Northwestern University student Julian Andreone took to X and denied these claims.
“Matt Barnes kinda came up to and just put his hands on me actually,” Lancer said in the second video. “So, I mean I’m all good. But, it’s kind of, I don’t know.”
A freelance writer in Jack Pollon published quotes from Lancer on what transpired between him and Barnes.
Per Lancer, Barnes sent some vulgar language his way and also threatened him with violence.
Barnes responded to a user on social media who criticized him for his behavior toward Lancer and tried to defend his actions.
Barnes played in 929 regular-season games during his 14 seasons in the NBA and averaged 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from 3-point range. He hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2016-17 season, when he appeared in 74 games with the Kings and Golden State Warriors during the regular season.
The 43-year-old’s broadcasting career might be in jeopardy now that he is no longer employed by NBC Sports California. It remains to be seen if he will be able to find another job in the field in the wake of his incident with Lancer.
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