Harrison Barnes became one of just 55 active players with over 10,000 career points following his 29-point performance against the Bucks on Saturday.
Barnes started the game hot, scoring five of Sacramento’s first eight points, and finished the opening half with a team-high 14 points.
Barnes hit the 10K mark with his 16th point of the night, a tough floater off the backboard over two defenders, to help the Kings shrink the deficit to just five points. Barnes reeled off another 13 points in the second half, but the Kings fell just short of the comeback.
“He ended up with 29 points and six rebounds. I thought he did a good job of driving a ball to the basket, trying to play in space,” Coach Alvin Gentry said. “You know, obviously, he's a pro's pro. I coached Harrison when I was on the staff at Golden State, and he's very professional. Always has himself prepared.”
Barnes has consistently been one of Sacramento’s most reliable players during his time with the Kings. He is currently the team’s second leading scorer (16.3 PPG), only behind De’Aaron Fox, while also grabbing the third most rebounds.
In addition to his strong play on the court, Barnes also provides the veteran leadership that every team needs, especially one of the youngest teams in the NBA.
“It’s crazy, obviously, with the average lifespan on an NBA player, for him to go over that 10,000 mark,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “I don’t know how many guys have done that, but it can’t be a lot. So, it’s special.
“He’s just been playing well, letting the game come to him. And he’s HB — he’s always solid and you know he’s always going to help us. So, it’s good to see him playing well.”
Barnes has played for three different NBA franchises and has scored over 3,000 points at each stop, including 3090 so far in Sacramento. He’s hoping there are many more to come.
“I think it's just a testament really to, you know, a lot of coaches, a lot of teammates, a lot of trainers in this league that helped me continue to get better, to continue to be on the court every single night,” Barnes said.
“And hopefully, you know, I can continue to do this for many years to come.”