In an interview with Bleacher Report, Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes opened up about issuing a beat-down to then-New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher.
“I’ve never been that angry in my life,” said Barnes, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Kings this summer, “and I’ve been pretty pissed off before.
“When I think back now I’m glad there were people there to jump on me. If it had just been straight up one-on-one it would have been…”
Barnes and Fisher were involved in a well-documented mid-season physical altercation last year. The beating occurred after Barnes found Fisher, who was supposed to be leading Knicks training camp, at his ex-wife Gloria Govan’s California home.
Barnes touched on his current feelings toward Fisher, who was fired midway through last season.
“I respect him for the fact that that’s who my ex loves and makes her happy. So I respect him on that level. He makes her happy and he’s around my kids and they like him,” he said. “But other than that, man to man, I don’t respect him at all. There’s just too many other women to play that game. At the end of the day, a man is going to be a man.
“He doesn’t owe me anything. I just thought we were better than that. You gonna move in with my wife and kids? And not have the courage to tell me? Nothing about that sounds like what a real man would do. I see him at my kids’ football games and he won’t even look at me. He stares at the ground. He won’t make eye contact. The way he moved was foul. But hate is too heavy to carry. I’ve forgiven him but I just don’t respect him. Just be good to my kids. The day that stops there’s going to be a real-life problem.”
