Former NBA champion Matt Barnes has consistently spoken out about the mounting pressures on young athletes, from the relentless grind of the AAU circuit ( “The expectations of the parent is delusional, to me”) to the troubling trends highlighted in the league’s latest report on high school players. Watching his twin sons pursue the sport he loves, Barnes warns that the current system pushes kids too hard, too soon—could it be putting their long-term development and love for the game at risk?

Sharing his perspective with over a million followers, Barnes wrote, “I blame the adults running things. It’s a money grab, it’s not about development anymore.” His words underscore a deeper concern, highlighted by a recent USA Today report detailing the conclusion of the NBA’s six-year study on e

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