Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes has been described to me by former college and NBA teammates as a man consistently trained on the bigger picture and new experiences. We’ve seen evidence on the court, where he stepped up huge as a rookie playing out of position during last year’s playoffs, and again when he quickly adjusted to coming off the bench as a sixth man, his new role this season. We’ve also seen evidence in his personal life, whether his performance as a serious high-school sax player, his nimble riffing during a recent appearance on The Pete Holmes Show, or his desire to continually stock his iPhone 5S with the latest apps, which we recently found out more about.
What is the app you’re most dependent on?
The biggest app I use now is definitely Twitter (@HBarnes). I use Twitter a lot to communicate with my teammates. I think we have a lot of fun with it and it keeps us all young. It’s not necessarily to keep me young (Editor’s note: Barnes will be all of 22 next May. So, yeah, probably not), but it sure keeps some of the other guys young. I’ll see [35 year-old center] Jermaine O’Neal get on Twitter and Instagram. I’ll see [29 year-old] Andrew Bogut on Twitter and Instagram.”
The biggest reason I have Twitter is to reach out with fans. Since I’ve been able to be in the league, just doing Q&A’s, doing contests and you’re able to connect with a lot of different people that you ordinarily wouldn’t be able to meet.
What is your most recently downloaded app?
Clash of Clans. You build your own military base and stuff like that. I get to the gym really early on game days, so I usually have a couple of hours to burn after I watch tape, stretch and stuff like that. I was on the app store one time and at the time, Clash of Clans was the number one most downloaded app. It’s a great way to kill some time.
How’s your army base doing?
Level 85, I think. I’m doing well.
What’s the weirdest app you have?
I have an Italian translator. I was on this big Italian food binge for a while out there in S.F., and I wanted to see if I could place my order (chicken parmesan or chicken prosciutto) entirely in Italian. It didn’t work out so well.
What’s your favorite app?
Other than my staples like Uber and Spotify, probably Instagram.
What’s your account (hbarnes) like? Pics of other people and objects? Selfies?
I’m not much of a selfie guy. I think there’s a true art (to selfies). Angles that I have just not mastered. I just like to take pictures of what’s going on in my everyday life and also repost pictures.
How often do you scour the App Store?
All the time. There’s so much time whether you’re in treatment, in the cold tub, doing all the time. Little pockets of time that you have to just burn. You’re always trying to keep yourself busy.
What is the app most critical to the NBA lifestyle?
Uber. We’re always in different cities. You always take a ride to go somewhere. Sometimes you don’t have cash for a cab and some may not take (credit) cards, where you’re at. Uber’s just an easy way to get a car, go wherever you need.
What’s been your Uber experience? I’ve heard mixed reviews.
I actually didn’t have any problems with it. I use it all the time here in San Francisco. It’s not a “free” lift, but it’s different way of getting around.
So sometimes even NBA guys find themselves without money?
Without cash. That’s for sure. (laughs)
Is there a type of app that you’ve looked for but couldn’t find, or would just love to see developed?
I would like to see a game that’s a little bit different than Temple Run, but maybe not as action packed as one of those Batman/Gotham City games. When you start to go into where there’s too much for an iPhone or an iPad game. It’s more suited for an Xbox. But then, if you keep the game too simple, and you’re playing it consistently, you can’t get over it for two weeks, and then you never play it again. You know what I’m saying?
There are some games that are better for the iPhone, some games that are better for the iPad. But it’s hard to find that happy medium, where it’s good game, regardless of whether you’re playing it on the iPhone or the iPad.
Who on the Warriors is most phone addicted?
Probably (forward) Draymond Green or Andrew Bogut. Constantly on it. I mean, I can’t think they’re texting all that time. It’s gotta be all different types of social media unless they just know half the people on the planet.
(Images © Golden State Warriors and NBA)
