Matt Barnes

Matt Kelly Barnes (born March 9, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Barnes played four seasons of college basketball at UCLA, where he was an All-Pacific-10 Honorable Mention selection in 2001.

Barnes was drafted in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Barnes was selected with the 46th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2002 NBA draft, and was immediately traded along with Nick Anderson, to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Wesley Person.

The Cavaliers assigned him for the NBA D-League, and he joined the Fayetteville Patriots for the 2002–03 season.

Barnes signed with the Long Beach Jam of the ABA for their inaugural season in 2003, where he played with Dennis Rodman.

The team went 24–7 and won the ABA Championship.

Barnes averaged 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds.

Barnes signed a contract with the Los Angeles Clippers for the second half of the 2003–04 NBA season.

In October 2004, he signed with the Sacramento Kings.

He made his debut for the Kings recording 17 points and 9 rebounds, establishing himself as a key rotation player for Sacramento.

He was traded halfway through the 2004–05 season along with Chris Webber to the Philadelphia 76ers, in exchange for Kenny Thomas, Corliss Williamson and Brian Skinner.

He did not suit up for Philadelphia that season while recovering from a knee tendinitis, and was given an injury release.

Barnes signed a free agent contract with the New York Knicks in October 2005.

Although he appeared to secure a starting job with an impressive preseason and Allan Houston's retirement, he was waived by the Knicks after playing just six games.

Barnes was claimed by the 76ers to serve a second stint in Philadelphia, where he finished out the 2005–06 season.

Barnes signed with the Golden State Warriors before their first day of training camp in October 2006, and effectively raised his status in the league since joining the team.

With struggling forward Mike Dunleavy Jr.. placed on the bench, Barnes was given more playing time by coach Don Nelson.

On December 26, 2006, he hit seven three-point field goals to tie a Warriors franchise record.

In the 2006–07 season, he made 106.

After joining Golden State, Matt's offense improved impressively, from 3 points a game in Philadelphia to 9.8, appearing in 76 games.

The record was broken later that season by Jason Richardson, who hit 8 three-pointers on March 29, 2007.

Barnes, a high-school All-American wide receiver, says that if he had not been signed by the Warriors he would have tried out for the NFL.

Before signing with Golden State, Barnes had only made 10 three-pointers in his career.

He also added a strong 2007 post-season, with 11.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg in eleven playoff games and helped the #8 seed Warriors take down the #1 seed Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs.

On August 6, 2007, Barnes returned to the Warriors under a one-year contract.

Barnes, along with teammates Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis, served as a Warriors team captain for the 2007–08 season.

He was not expected to return for the 2008–09 season.

On July 22, 2008, Barnes signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns.

On November 14, 2008, Barnes received a two-game suspension for his role in the scuffle with Houston's Rafer Alston two days earlier.

On July 23, 2009, Barnes signed a two-year deal with the Orlando Magic.

Although he was able to opt out of his deal after the first year, Barnes stated that he would like to remain in Orlando.

After the Magic were eliminated in the 2010 NBA Playoffs by the Boston Celtics, Barnes announced he would opt out of the final year of his contract.

On July 23, 2010, Barnes signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Barnes signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in September 2012.

He won an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in his last season with the league in 2017.

He currently is a basketball analyst for ESPN as well as NBC Sports California for Sacramento Kings games.

Barnes was born in Santa Clara, California, to a white mother and an African American father.

He attended Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, California, where he was a letterman in football and basketball.

He earned All-American, All-State, All-CIF, All-City, and All-League honors in each sport.