Former NBA players and one-time teammates Matt Barnes and Derek Fisher are cool now, but that hasn’t always been the case. The two former NBA hoopers came to blows back in 2015 when Barnes found out that Fisher, who at the time was the coach of the New York Knicks, was dating his estranged wife Gloria Govan. Per good friend Gilbert Arenas, Barnes’ frustration stemmed from Fisher being around the former couple’s twin sons without their dad having any knowledge of it.
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Arenas, who has children with Govan’s sister Laura has spoken at length about the situation on numerous occasions. During a recent appearance with DJ Vlad, the always ready to instigate Arenas once again gave his version of the events. Arenas, who starred with the Washington Wizards says he should’ve done more to calm Barnes down. The former dynamic lead guard states that he tried to convince Barnes not to drive the 95 miles from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles to Govan’s house, but obviously that didn’t work.
Arenas Tells How He Was Entangled In The Drama
Arenas recounts Barnes calling him after finding out that Fisher was at the house he once shared with Govan. Arenas says Barnes told him he felt the need to “punch on somebody.”
Arenas, still processing what Barnes had revealed to him, asked, “Wait, why is Derek Fisher there? Isn’t he the coach of the Knicks?”
An angry Barnes quickly replied, “I don’t know why that motherf—s here. But God sent him to me, and I’m gonna deliver,” Arenas described.
Fisher And Barnes Bury The Hatchet
Speaking on the “Charges With Rex Chapman” podcast, Barnes spoke of how the two talked and quashed the beef.
“Fast-forward, we buried the hatchet, we spoke, because they’re still together,” Barnes said about Fisher and Govan, whose wedding was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To me, it’s about raising these twins the best we possibly can, and co-parenting. So now he and I are cool. We’re on the same page. We communicate and see each other when we’re at events. They’ve been to my house for the twins’ birthday, I’ve been to their place,” Barnes said about his relationship with Fisher.
Fisher Coaches The Twins
As fate would have it, Fisher, who’s now married to Govan is coaching his stepsons at Crespi Carmelite high school in Encinitas, California. The twins are rising players in the 2027 recruiting cycle. Barnes did all he could to have Alijah Arenas, the cousin of the Barnes twins, transfer to play under Fisher, but Gilbert felt he needed to stay at Los Angeles’ Chatsworth High School.
Alijah Arenas is so talented he even reclassed up a year, joining the 2025 class, and he’ll be attending USC next fall. He’s the No. 10-ranked prospect in the class, No. 1 shooting guard and No. 2-ranked player in California.
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