Matt Barnes, former NBA star and co-host of All the Smoke, has built a reputation for keeping things real. The podcast, which he co-hosts with Stephen Jackson, is a space for unfiltered discussions on sports, culture, and personal experiences. But the title itself—All the Smoke—could also be seen as an innuendo of his love for smoking. It’s a habit he has never kept hidden and has even admitted to partaking in before his NBA games. Now imagine getting a ‘gift’ from one of the rolling papers companies!
Perhaps this love is what brought him and Josh Kesselman together. It turns out Barnes has a strong relationship with RAW’s founder, Josh Kesselman, a passionate entrepreneur who turned his love for rolling papers into a $200 million empire, according to Fobes. It’s just last year that Kesselman shared his plans for the company to go public while keeping the culture intact. He plans to do this by selling shares to the company’s customer base. As the company still navigates its way to a new identity, it recently sent a token of appreciation to Matt Barnes.
Recently, RAW sent the 44-year-old retired player, an exclusive care package filled with their signature products—cones, tips, slow-burning papers, and even a birthday card. In an Instagram story, Barnes shared his excitement as he unboxed the gift. “Man, shout out to my brother Josh and the whole RAW family. You’re locked and reloaded. Damn! Fourteen hundred cones, those’ll be gone by the summer. Appreciate you, bro,” he said while revealing the contents. It doesn’t stop here, though.
Nov 27, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Former Golden State Warriors player Matt Barnes smiles before receiving his championship ring before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Alongside the video, Barnes wrote, “Thank you bro @rawkandroll @rawlife247,” showing gratitude for the thoughtful gift. Kesselman later reposted the video on the story of RAW’s official Instagram, highlighting their bond. RAW’s decision to go public marks a new chapter for the company, but its focus on personal connections remains unchanged.
Matt Barnes unafraid to voice his thoughts
Having a strong political stance is not a problem, and Matt Barnes is no stranger to speaking his mind. The former Warriors player openly backed the Democratic candidate. He even invited Kamala Harris onto his podcast for an in-depth conversation about social issues. However, when Donald Trump won, Barnes initially mocked the result. Months later, his frustration reached a breaking point, especially after his preferred candidate failed to win.
“All the black and brown dummies that voted for this ,” Barnes wrote on his Instagram story, expressing his anger at the outcome. Moreover, he also criticized Elon Musk’s role in the political landscape. Trump himself has acknowledged Musk’s influence, saying, “Elon is to me a patriot. So, you know, you could call him an employee, you could call him a consultant, you could call him whatever you want.”
The post he shared took a strong stance against Musk. He stated, “Musk isn’t a genius.- He’s a silver spoon toddler man who thinks he can buy the United States government.” The post further accused Musk of benefiting from government subsidies while contributing to economic struggles. Frustrated with Republican supporters, Barnes didn’t hold back, telling them to “Slap yourselves .”
Additionally, the post highlighted Musk’s costly decision to buy X for $44 billion, despite its current valuation dropping to $9 billion. While Musk remains one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, Barnes’ criticism sheds light on the deeper political and economic concerns surrounding his influence. Everything aside, opinions are the rights of an individual. While he has an issue with Musk, someone else might have something with Barnes’ habits, but the show must go on.
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