At first, their story felt like a dream. Anansa Sims and Matt Barnes were more than just a glam couple—they were a full-circle story in motion. Their paths first crossed at UCLA back in the ’90s, but it wasn’t until All-Star Weekend 2018 that sparks officially flew. Fast forward to December 2022, and they were engaged. Matt brought in his twin sons, Carter and Isaiah, from his previous marriage to Gloria Govan, while Anansa brought three children—Ava, David, and Dean Patterson—from her last marriage to David Patterson. But by May 2025, the love story hit a bump, and the engagement came to an end.

Still, despite the split, something strong held on. Barnes may not be her fiancé anymore, but his connection to Anansa’s kids didn’t vanish with the breakup. In fact, he reminded everyone just how real that bond is. Following Ava Patterson’s college graduation, Matt shared a heartfelt clip on Instagram, capturing the joy of the milestone moment. And though Ava keeps things private on her page, @ava.patterson6, the moment still found its way into the public eye.

Matt reshared Ava’s graduation video to his own Instagram story, tagging both Anansa and himself. The caption? “Just graduated 🥳🥳 @anansasims @matt_barnes9 @melisakpatterson @dpatt97.” It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t overdone. But it said a lot. And now, Anansa stepped into the moment, following Matt’s lead in honoring her daughter’s achievement.

She shared a clip from Ava’s 8th grade graduation and poured out her love in words. “Ava you are my life, my heart, my hope, my everything. You made me a Mommy, you healed every hurt that I carried before God Blessed me with you,” she wrote. “You make me feel like I have super powers, because I literally have done and will always do anything for you.”

She didn’t stop there; Anansa let the world know how special Ava is. “Mommy is so very proud of you. You are my child who has multiple people come to me on a regular saying how kind, sweet and amazing you are,” she added. “You are a light and I don’t ever won’t you to dim that light for anyone!” And for this family, the bond isn’t just mother-daughter: “You’ve been my inspiration, you are truly my best friend, you’ve been my protector from all the boy energy we face on a daily.”

Finally, she made a promise only a mother can make—with no hesitation. “One thing I know you know is Mommy don’t play about you. I go from zero to hundred over you without hesitation and I always will,” she wrote. “You’ve blossomed right before my eyes, but to me you will always be my baby girl and my first true love. Congratulations beautiful.”

So while Anansa and Matt may no longer be a couple, they still showed up—together—for a moment that truly mattered.

What really went down between Anansa Sims and Matt Barnes?

On February 1, 2025, Sims ignited the controversy with a now-deleted Instagram Story. She posted a meme that read, “I once loved a man so much that I was fixing him while he was breaking me,” then added a caption: “Why Matt?? Eight different women in January 💔.” In doing so, she publicly accused Barnes of carrying on affairs with eight separate women during January 2025. It was a claim first documented by Fadeaway World and widely circulated by The Shade Room.

Meanwhile, over on All The Smoke, Barnes gave his own side of the story. “I was the strong provider, but I wasn’t there emotionally… I wasn’t empathetic… That was stuff that my ex would tell me: ‘I don’t… you’re a wall,’” he admitted. It’s not every day a former NBA star openly discusses emotional walls and missed connections. It takes guts to own up to that kind of vulnerability, especially with an audience waiting to dissect every word. But just because someone admits fault doesn’t mean the full truth is out.

Sims answered him point-blank in a follow-up Story. She challenged the sincerity of his public vulnerability:

“Don’t post half-truths about me and our past relationship to gain sympathy from the masses. I’m in the trenches doing the hard work making sure all of our kids are ok… If you want to do some good, please get consistent therapy and start building a relationship with God.”

What began as a private seven-year romance, officially kicked off at the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend and sealed with an engagement in December 2022, broke apart in early 2025. The aftermath left their blended family of five children caught in the crossfire. While the public record may never capture every nuance, these posts and admissions construct the clearest picture yet of how emotional distance and alleged infidelity unraveled one of sports’ most discussed love stories.