March 25th, 2024 marked a memorable day in the life of Matt Barnes. An Instagram live from the NBA icon captured a home-invading possum of all things, as his antics led to the ecstasy of the audience. More than a week later, the 44-year-old provided all the hilarious details surrounding the viral incident in his latest appearance on Podcast P with Paul George.
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The instance occurred in the process of Barnes moving packages out of his old house to shift to his new place. The possum entered his kitchen during that time, paving the way for a hilarious sequence of events. The 2017 champion candidly reflected on the moment while shedding light on his mindset.
“As soon as I turned the corner and we made eye contact, this motherf****er rose up and looked up at me…I was like, ‘Oh my god’. For some reason, I thought it was funny but I was scared as s**t…If I didn’t film that up, I would have been screaming a lot more,” he stated.
Later, he opened up about how the live viewers started to engage with the scenario. They even advised him to actively pick up the invader to release him to a safe place. However, Barnes neglected the suggestions before deciding to throw oranges at the possum while sitting at a kitchen counter. Following that, he even nudged the invader with a golf club before spraying water on it.
Despite the varied antics, the situation failed to reach an immediate conclusion. Eventually, Barnes aimed to redirect the possum toward the door while using the empty boxes around the area to his advantage. The trick successfully paid dividends as it chose to leave his property soon after.
The nearly 10-minute-long livestream went viral on Instagram due to the unprecedented sequence of events. Several media houses extensively covered the encounter, resulting in unwanted attention toward Barnes’ endeavors. Consequently, the former NBA player had to clarify his stance during his public appearances in the following days.
“That sh*t’s been everywhere, man. That went on all the news, and Entertainment Tonight, and Inside Edition, and all people are seeing me at the Grocery store, like ‘I saw you with the possum!’, I’m like ‘Ahhhh’.”
Despite establishing his status as a fierce competition in the playing days, Barnes’ actions showcased his insecurities as an individual. Amidst the mockery over the incident, it served as one of the rarest instances of the NBA icons acting as a regular person. In the end, this moment made the greats of the game more relatable to the public while adding a layer to the off-court drama of the league.
