Just a few months ago, a bizarre incident played out at NBA mid-way through a game. Harrison Barnes, then a forward with Dallas Mavericks, learnt that he had been traded to Sacramento Kings while facing Charlotte Hornets.
The 26-year-old, to his credit, was calm with millions watching and has quickly adjusted to life with the Kings. When asked about the events that followed in February, Barnes shrugged it off, saying it was a part and parcel of an NBA player’s life:
“Part of being an NBA player is that there is a business side and these things happen,” Barnes told Scroll.in.
“The trade happened. I am fortunate to be in Sacramento with guys who are great. The fans welcomed me with open arms and it was a great transition, personally, to go from Dallas to Sacramento. De’Aaron Fox, Harry Giles, Marvin Bagley....I want to help them be the best version of themselves.
“I have been in the NBA for seven years. I have seen a lot of things in seven years. I was difficult [to accept the trade] in the beginning but you just roll with how things go. You can only live in the moment.”
In his short career, Barnes has experienced a sea of highs and a few lows. Undoubtedly, winning the championship with the mighty Golden State Warriors was at forefront of it all. Barnes earned his first break with the Warriors and has not looked back since.
“Warriors was a great experience. I spent four years there and all the things that we did, including winning a championship there, was a great springboard for my career and everything that has happened since,” he said.
Warriors have come into their own and recent years and their star-studded lineup is billed by many as the team to beat in the NBA. In 2012, though, that was far from the case and Barnes was a part of a roster that was building a legendary outfit. In 2015, the Warriors ended a 40-year wait for the championship.
Barnes said he was thrilled to be a part of a change of guard. “That [the 2015 win] was huge, especially after the Warriors had missed the playoffs for so many different years. Then, making the playoffs and going on to win it and winning back-to-back finals later.... They have continued her success since.”
One of the greats of this generation, Kevin Durant, made the Warriors an even better outfit in recent years. The highlight of Barnes’ years with the reigning NBA champions was combining with the rampant duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, which the former says was a result of how they bonded off court.
“Playing with Steph and Klay was a great experience,” Barnes said.
“They are two great guys who are friends. Even outside basketball, they are guys who I really connect with at a deep level. The chemistry on the court was a product of how we developed as a unit. We would go out to eat, spending time together....we’d even go on road trips together.
“And that bond off the court made us really good on the court and brought the whole Warriors unit together.”
A year after winning the championship in 2016, the small forward was a part of the USA men’s side that defended their Olympic gold in Rio de Janerio. Apart from the thrill of watching sprint legend Usain Bolt do the same in person, Barnes said he has a lot of fond memories from that event, even though he only had a small role to play.
“It was a humbling experience being in that locker room, man,” he said. “Everyone there was an All Star. I didn’t play a whole lot but being around those guys and seeing how they prepare for games was terrific. We also got a great reception when we came back home, and that is I something I can never forget.”
Barnes will now be a part of a Sacramento side who will play two pre-season games with the Indiana Pacers in Mumbai in a few months. This event will the first time Indian fans will witness an NBA game in their country.
“I love India, I get the culture. They are so passionate about the game. The pre-season game is going to be great. I am really excited to be there. To have my teammates come and experience it; it should be good,” Barnes.
NBA can be watched in India on SONY TEN 1 and SONY TEN 3