In professional wrestling, the heel is the character who does whatever it takes to win a match. A thumb in the eyes, a cheap shot while the referee isn’t looking – all fair game for the bad guy.
That’s how former Del Campo High School star Matt Barnes explains his NBA career to his sons as he transitions to life away from the court.
“Not that I was acting, but I was the bad guy, the NBA bad guy,” Barnes said. “That’s who I was on the court.”
Barnes was at Monday’s game between the two teams he played for last season, the Kings and Warriors, to receive his championship ring from Golden State.