“Induction into the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame is truly an honor. I am grateful for the role that the city played in my accomplishments on the field and on the court and I appreciate the fans that still show their love.”
Matt Barnes
Professional Basketball
High School: Del Campo
College: UCLA
* NBA Career: 14 Years (LA Clippers, Sacramento, New York, Philadelphia,
Golden State, Phoenix, Orlando, LA Lakers, Memphis)
* NBA Champion (2017)
* 7,589 Career Points
* 4,281 Career Rebounds
* 2 Sport High School All-American, Basketball & Football
Matt Barnes grew up in Fair Oaks and attended Del Campo High School where he was a highly decorated national talent. Matt was a High School All-American in Football and Basketball. During his high school career he was All League, All City, All CIF and All State selection in both sports.
He signed to play basketball at UCLA where he played four years and was a starter for two seasons. He helped guide the Bruins into the NCAA tournament where he played a pivotal role. He was selected in the second round of the NBA draft in 2002 by the Memphis Grizzlies. He was traded after the draft and began his career two seasons later with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Matt had very successful NBA career while playing with eight different organizations and was a key contributor with each of them. He even played with his hometown team, the Sacramento Kings in the 2004-05 season and 2016-17 campaign.
One of his best seasons came when he played for Don Nelson and the Golden State Warriors. With Golden State he made 106 three pointers in the 2006-07 season including a then-record, hitting seven in a game. He averaged 11 points per game and six rebounds per contest. During that postseason in 11 games he helped the eighth-seeded Warriors defeat the top seeded Dallas Mavericks .
He gained a lot of notoriety when he signed with the Lakers in 2010. Playing with the star laden Lakers featuring Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and others, the team was coming off of back-to-back titles. He helped the Lakers in two playoff runs from 2010 -2012. Matt culminated his career by returned to Golden State in his final season in 2017 and was part of the Warriors championship team.
Matt has become a successful television broadcaster working with ESPN as an NBA studio analyst and his currently part of the Sacramento Kings game broadcast crew for NBC Sports California. He also hosts his popular podcast “All The Smoke” which also airs on Showtime.
He will be known as one of Sacramento’s best multi-sports athletes who could have probably had a successfully NFL career as well. His 7, 589 points and 4,281 rebounds in the NBA are a testament of his talent and longevity.