Just when things seemed to be settling down for Matt Barnes and his family, life threw them another curveball. One twin had just made it through a traumatic chapter, only for the other to return home, barely able to walk. If you’ve been following the Barnes twins, you know this family is no stranger to tough moments—and somehow, they keep pushing through. The update came straight from Matt Barnes during his chat with Keyon Dooling on the All the Smoke podcast.

Carter, one of his sons, had just come back from the NBPA Top 100 Camp. But instead of excitement, he brought home crutches. Here’s the twist: Matt himself had a rough run at a top 100 camp back in the day in Princeton, an injury that left a mark not just on his body but on how he approaches raising two competitive athletes. Yes, Matt Barnes did warn them. “I told Carter and Isaiah I’m like, ‘Listen man, you guys are getting older’…”

He knew the risks, especially with how explosive their game is becoming. “You guys are getting older, more athletic, faster, stronger, playing with kids that are jumping. You’re jumping now, I think it’s time for either tape or ankle braces.” He even went the extra mile and: “yeah so I bought them expensive ass ankle braces and I told him before I even put it’s going to take time to get UC’s they’re going to hurt your feet at first but it’s going to take time but you need them.” Isaiah, who’d already been through a harrowing experience of his own, wore it religiously. But Carter?

He skipped them—and it caught up with him. “Bad, like third-degree sprain. Everything was swollen. Toes were swollen,” Barnes said, recalling the severity of the injury. Adding to it, Dooling’s response nailed it. “Man, that boy [Matt Barnes] is battle tested… So like you don’t have to go through the experience to learn the lesson… Listen to your pops…” Dooling said on the podcast. This all came on the heels of Isaiah’s nightmare just last August—getting hit by a car while jogging, followed by an emergency surgery for appendicitis.

Barnes shared on Instagram, “Doctor said it was the largest appendix he had ever seen that hadn’t ruptured.” While Isaiah was healing, Carter was holding it down on the court, solo. When they finally reunited, it wasn’t just another family moment—it was a comeback in every sense. Ask anyone who witnessed them at the camp. But now, one of the brothers might have to step back and focus on getting better.

Matt Barnes’ sons have already landed their first D1 offer

Carter and Isaiah are already stepping into the spotlight—and it’s happening faster than most expected. The duo secured their first Division 1 offer from the University of South Dakota this year. Like any proud athletes, they shared the news through an Instagram story that had their followers buzzing. Adding to the moment, their mom and Matt Barnes’ former wife, Gloria Govan, reposted it with a proud caption: “BOYS GOT THEIR 1ST D1 OFFER.” 

Now in their sophomore year at Crespi High School, the twins have helped guide their team to a solid 21-9 season. Competing in the Mission League, they’ve held their own with a 4-3 record, only trailing behind heavyweights like Harvard-Westlake, Sierra Canyon, and Notre Dame. Their playoff run in the 2025 CIF Southern Section began with a huge 90-54 win over Edison on February 12, before being halted by Campbell Hall in a 77-64 loss.

Carter, the 6’2” combo guard, has played 61 games, averaging 9.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game—slightly ahead of his brother in appearances. Now, it’s to be seen how quickly he recovers from his ankle injury to join his brother back on the hardwood.