You would think that a former NBA star and a presidential candidate would not have many things in common. Well, Matt Barnes and Kamala Harris are proof that’s not the case. While both of them know what the challenges are when your partner has been through a broken marriage, the similarity does not end here. Just like Barnes, Harris also is a stepparent, and the two indulged in a discussion regarding the same.

“You’ve also been attacked for not having biological children. But you are a stepmom and I’m a stepfather. I just had my 7th little boy two weeks ago, but I have three stepchildren that are mine,” Barnes started the conversation on All The Smoke podcast. He further highlighted how one has to ensure to not step on their children’s toes as a step-parent. The former NBA star asked Harris how she managed to earn the love and trust of her children.

Harris mentioned that before she met her husband Doug Emhoff’s children, she ensured she understood where her relationship with Doug back then stood. The reason being simple that children form attachment and she wanted to be sure about Emhoff before forming one with the children.

“And then we became, I mean, thick as thieves. And I love those children. They are my children,” she added. As per an article by PEOPLE, it took her two months to meet her husband’s children after she started dating him. Harris is now a stepmother of two children named Ella and Cole. She met Doug back in 2014, who was previously married to Kerstin Emhoff for 16 years.

Interestingly, Harris shares a cordial bond with Kerstin to ensure a healthy growing environment for the children. This also further ensures her own healthy relationship with the children, as stated by Harris on All The Smoke. “That ain’t easy,” Barnes said on Harris’ approach of having a cordial bond with your partner’s ex partner.

As mentioned earlier by Barnes himself, he is a stepfather to his finance Anansa Sims’ three children — Ava Brielle Patterson, David Bernard Patterson, and Dean Danny Benjamin Patterson — with her first husband David Patterson. The former NBA star, however, is not very fond of David. Forget about having a cordial bond.

The time when Matt Barnes spit on his fiance’s ex-husband

Known for his fiery on-court presence, the ex-NBA star took things off the court during a 49ers-Cowboys playoff game, and it wasn’t pretty. During a heated confrontation with his fiance’s ex-husband, David Patterson, Barnes spit on him, and things quickly spiraled out of control.

Captured on video by TMZ, the footage showed Barnes approaching Patterson, spitting on him, and getting right in his face. You’d think it would end there, but the altercation required intervention before it could escalate any further. The former LA Lakers star, however, had his side of the story. According to court documents, he claimed that Patterson was the one who instigated the drama.

Patterson allegedly hunted Barnes down, shouted his full name and stirred up the crowd. The document, as per a New York Post article, further mentioned that Patterson then shoved Barnes, forcing him to push back. Frustrated, the 2017 NBA champ admitted he spit in Patterson’s direction, explaining it was the result of ongoing harassment.

Matt Barnes also claimed Patterson had previously threatened him over his relationship with his ex-wife, Anansa Sims. This feud, however, had deeper roots. As previously, Patterson’s fiance had filed a restraining order against the ex-NBA star, accusing him of mistreating the kids Patterson and Sims share. While there is no proof substantiation for this claim, all of this makes it clear why Barnes finds Harris’ step parenting approach a bit difficult.

Stay tuned for more updates. Join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host, BG12, sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.