Quotes from Matt Barnes

Some guys have one good year and fade away. I've worked too hard to get here and it's took me too long to just fade away.

I've been playing in L.A. for a long time through college and pros, just to be ready. It's different out here.

Fatherhood is the best thing that ever happened to me.

If I had to say how much I've paid in fines over my career, I'm sure it's over $500,000, going toward $1 million.

I'm a football player playing basketball.

I was a good shooter in college, but it's a different level here in the NBA and I'm working on getting better.

My mom was my rock, my confidant and my best friend. She was an elementary school teacher who worked with students with disabilities and she lived every day giving back to her family and her community.

I just think that my road has been so difficult to get where I'm at that I don't take anything for granted.

You have to stay locked in. You're so locked in on guarding your guy you figure when the ball goes up the bigs are going to get it. But the possessions not over until you get the rebound.

I hated Mo Cheeks.

I like being the hated one.

Early in my career I had to be a goon to survive. I did everything I had to do and probably some things I shouldn't have.

I think social media is a double-edged sword for athletes and celebrities. I think sometimes it's the worst thing. It gives people who are kind of cowardly the opportunity to kind of take an open shot at you or your family and say the craziest, most outrageous thing that they can think of, knowing that they would never say that to your face.

You don't have to be a professional athlete to be heard - the most powerful tool you have is your voice.

Overall, Twitter has been a great tool for myself and my family as far as promoting our charity and the events we do and really just kind of interacting with our fans. But it can be in the negative form, and guys have to be careful.

I've had to fight every year. That's kept me hungry.

I started Athletes vs Cancer as a way to honor my mother, but now giving back has become a part of who I am, and more importantly, this is a key value I hope to pass on to my own sons.

I think what I came from and what I saw molded me into a certain person. Nothing was ever wrapped or a silver spoon, so I don't think I would know how to live and I don't think I'd want to live if it wasn't a grind.

I grew up in the '80s in an era that was tough. The Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason. It wasn't dirty. It was just men playing basketball.

I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job - managing 10 of the best athletes in the world. At the same time, I think there is way too much ego from their standpoint.

I think there are things you can do to toughen yourself up.

Co-parenting is probably the toughest situation that I've had to deal with because my ex and I really just don't get along. So, at the end of the day, I would tell any parents listening that once you're separated from your significant other - the father of your children, the mother of your children - the most important thing is the kids' happiness.

Being traded and moving teams, it's difficult, especially when you have families.

I kind of have a bad-guy reputation.