Matt Barnes knows that being a former player critiquing current players in the media is tricky.
During a recent appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Barnes championed a player-centric approach. Having walked a mile in their shoes, he understands players’ mistakes, both on and off the court. His own experience being critiqued by analysts and former players fuels a balanced yet objective perspective.
Barnes dissects their performance objectively but never forgets they’re human and prone to errors. At the same time, he realizes that those lines can be blurred once you’re on the other side of things.
“I feel there are athletes who have been former players that have kind of crossed that line too,” Barnes says. “And I don’t feel like these guys can call the homies they used to play with anymore and be like, ‘Hey, what’s up,’ or try to get the scoop. We all have our inside sources, and to me, I’ve always valued that more than giving a network kind of what they want. I feel like sometimes the networks want you to go that extra mile for views and clicks. And I never looked at it that way.
“When I was fortunate enough to work at ESPN — for the three-and-a-half, four-plus years I worked for them — I was always very content in my space because I knew that I could give you an in-depth analysis from a player’s point of view and throw some analytics in there. But I was never willing to go out there and disrespect these guys because I know how hard it is to be in the position. Like, I was a role player for 15 years. I couldn’t imagine what it’s like, but I know much more than a regular pedestrian, what it’s like to be one of these stars.
“So, I’ve never — I’ve always understood, not just in basketball, but across the board. I think we’re in an era now where loud disrespect is accepted instead of critiquing athletes, which what it used to be. So, I don’t know if it’ll ever really go back.”
While Barnes emphasizes empathy for players, he might disagree with some former athletes who, in his view, have crossed the line into disrespect. He believes there’s a clear distinction between constructive criticism and personal attacks. Within the current media landscape, where clicks often trump thoughtful analysis, that tends to get lost.
[The Stephen A. Smith Show on YouTube]
