Kings TV’s Matt Barnes says Celtics’ Ime Udoka scandal ‘100 times uglier’ than he thought
Former Sacramento Kings forward and current Kings television analyst Matt Barnes took to social media Friday to retract his statement regarding Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, saying the Udoka scandal is “100 times uglier” than he thought.
Barnes apologized for speaking out in Udoka’s defense a day earlier, admitting he reacted without knowing the extent of the allegations that led the Celtics to suspend Udoka for the entire 2022-23 season.
“Last night, I spoke on this Ime Udoka situation without having all the facts, and I think as a part of the media, often the media speaks to something, and when they’re wrong, they won’t come out and say it,” Barnes said in a video posted to Instagram.
“Since I’m a part of the media now, and I try not to be like everyone else, I try to report and talk with facts and honesty, and I clearly have to say, last night, without knowing all the facts, I spoke on Ime Udoka’s defense, and after finding out the facts after I spoke, I erased what I posted because this situation in Boston is deep. It’s messy. It’s 100 times uglier than any of us thought.”
Barnes first addressed the issue Thursday in a since-deleted Instagram video after the Celtics imposed a one-year suspension on Udoka for having an improper relationship with a female staffer. Barnes, a former Del Campo High School star who spent 14 seasons with the Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, said such relationships are “very common” in the NBA “from owners to executives, to coaches, to players, to trainers, to therapists, to dancers, to PR ladies.”
Barnes went on to compare Udoka’s suspension to the one-year suspension given to Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver after an NBA investigation showed Sarver repeatedly used racist and sexist language over 18 years as owner of the Suns. Many felt the punishment was too lenient, although public pressure from players and sponsors forced Sarver to announce he is selling the team.
The relationship between Udoka and the Celtics staffer was initially described as intimate and consensual, but The Athletic’s Shams Charania later reported the team launched a broader investigation after the woman recently accused Udoka of making unwanted comments toward her.
Barnes deleted his first video after finding out there was more to the story.
“Some things happened that I can’t condone, I can’t back,” Barnes said. “It’s not my place to tell you what happened. If it ends up coming out, it ends up coming out, but that was the reason I erased my post last night, because after I posted, I got a call from someone who had all the details, and this s--- is deep. So, man, praying for everybody involved. Hope everyone gets through this.”
