Former NBA player Matt Barnes is mostly known for traveling miles to pick a fight with former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Derek Fisher.
What many are unaware of is Barnes' ability on the football field.
Barnes was a two-sport star in high school, playing wide receiver. Even NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders attests to Barnes' football talents.
"This joker, arguably, is the best other athlete," Sanders said during an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast with Barnes and Stephen Jackson. "When I say other athlete, I know he did basketball but he could've played football."
Allen Iverson and LeBron James are often discussed as NBA players who could have played in the NFL. But Sanders puts Barnes' ability right up there.
"Everybody sees the film," Sanders said. "You give AI the love that he deserved at quarterback. They got some tape on `Bron. But, come on man, you put it down."
Barnes said he even participated in some spring football drills his sophomore year at UCLA before deciding to focus on hoops.
"I just didn't see at the time nobody 6-8 doing it," Barnes said. "Harold Carmichael with the Eagles, 6-7, but I just didn't really see it. It's not a day that passes, especially when I was first grinding in the beginning of my career like, `Damn, I'm just going to play football but I stuck with it and rode it out."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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